Crispy veal cutlets dredged in flour, eggwash and breadcrumbs, pan-fried to golden brown perfection, doused with a squeeze of citrus and sprinkled with a pinch of salt.
You know it as “Wienerschnitzel.” I know it as “Little Guys.”
The story as to why or how my siblings and I grew up calling schnitzel “Little Guys” doesn’t exist. Blame it on randomness. Consider it relatively odd. Go ahead, cock your head and go “huh?”
To this day my family still laughs thinking about the origin of the Little Guys name. But regardless of what anyone called it, Little Guys were a weekly staple in our American-Hungarian home. There were Little Guys with mashed potatoes. Little Guys with Hungarian egg noodles. Little Guys with cucumber salad. Heck, there were even Little Guys with barbecue sauce.
And while traditional Wienerschnitzel is made with veal, we often put our own American spin on this Eastern European classic by subbing in chicken, turkey or even pork. Speaking of chicken, if you’re craving an easy, family-favorite version, check out my chicken schnitzel recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes!
And after years of using traditional breadcrumbs, this past Christmas I got a lesson from Wolfgang Puck, the Wienerschnitzel master, who told me that crushed Panko is the secret to the lightest, crispiest, most golden brown crust imaginable.
Ingredients
- Veal or turkey cutlets (one or two per person, depending on size)
- 3 eggs
- Flour
- Panko seasoned bread crumbs
- Olive oil and butter, for sautéeing
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place a large pan over medium heat.
- Place the veal or turkey cutlets between two pieces of wax paper and use a meat tenderizer (any large can or bottle will do) to pound the cutlets until they are roughly ¼-inch thick.
- Now that the pan is warm, add enough olive oil and butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Set up an assembly station with three parts: a plate for the flour, a dish for the eggs (beaten together) and a plate for the bread crumbs.
- Dredge each cutlet first in the flour, then the eggs and finally the bread crumbs.
- Place the coated cutlets into the pan of melted butter and oil and sautée on both sides for 4 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the meat is fully cooked.
- Serve with a slice of lemon and salt and pepper to taste.
Kelly’s Notes
- Hungarian wienerschnitzel is traditionally made with veal, but I often use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because it’s more readily available.
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My family loved this recipe. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Jacki! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe.
I’m living in Germany and have always thought that Wiener Schnitzel originated from Germany. Specificly, southern Germany and in Bayern. Your recipe looks delciouse!