Crispy Pork Cutlet – Your new favorite dinner!
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You know those dinners that become part of the family – the ones you make on repeat, that will be requested time and time again… Yeah, that’s this crispy pork cutlet! It’s easy, ready in under 30 minutes, and so satisfying! I’ll share my four easy tips to make this one a winner.
Everyone has those nostalgic dishes that bring back memories of their childhood – the ones that would be on their plate every few weeks. THIS crispy pork cutlet (or pork schnitzel – whatever you want to call it) is one of those recipes. It’s sure to become a highly requested comfort food, which is great since it’s also incredibly easy to make!
This has been a go-to recipe of mine for as long as I’ve been cooking – and it’s sure to be one that you keep in your back pocket, too. There are a few tips I’ll share with you to ensure it always turns out well. Over the years, I’ve even substituted the pork out for chicken, veal, and turkey – once you get used to the method, it becomes really versatile.
Tips for making the crispiest pork cutlets
The crispy, golden crust may make this recipe seem like it’s going to be fiddly – but it’s actually so simple. Here are a few tips that will set you up for success:
- Tenderize your pork: In step one, you use the full side of your knife to pound the pork until it’s around ¼ to ½ inch thick. This helps make the pork extra tender, as well as helping it cook evenly and quickly.
- Season your pork: Don’t crumb your pork plain – the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper go a long way in adding depth to the dish. I won’t get mad at you if you throw in any other seasonings you like, such as thyme or even parmesan cheese.
- Get the right cut: Some grocery stores sell ‘cutlets’, which are already thin, tender, and boneless. If you don’t see a label for cutlets, pork chops will work! Go for boneless pork chops.
- Oil temperature: You want the oil to be at 350 degrees Fahrenheit – if it’s cooler, the cutlets will just soak up the oil and turn soggy. If it’s hotter, it’ll just burn the coating without cooking the inside.
Make it a meal
Sides that go well with pork cutlets
- Easy dinner: To make this a complete meal, I often squeeze a lemon overtop, then serve beside a simple salad – like this spring mix salad or arugula Caesar salad. Sometimes, instead of the lemon juice, I spoon over some homemade marinara sauce.
- Comforting dinner: This also pairs well with other comforting sides, like mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. Round it out with some green beans, or garlic roasted carrots.
How to store, reheat, and freeze
- Store: Let the cutlets cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Pop them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: I like to reheat them in a skillet (for 2-3 minutes a side), the oven (around 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit), or in an air fryer (around 5 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit). The microwave can cause the coating to become a bit too soft.
- Freeze: Once cooled to room temperature, I place the cooked pork cutlets on a baking sheet in a single layer, then put them in the freezer. Once they’re frozen, I transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. If you just pop them in the freezer to begin with, they may stick together.
Crispy Pork Cutlet – Your new favorite dinner!
This crispy pork cutlet recipe has been a total weeknight winner in my house—I’ve made it more times than I can count! The outside turns golden and crunchy (like, perfectly crunchy), and the inside stays juicy every single time. A squeeze of lemon and a simple salad on the side, and dinner feels a whole lot fancier than it actually is. It’s easy, satisfying, and seriously hard to mess up!
Ingredients
- 4 thin pork chops (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg (whisked with two tablespoons of water)
- ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
- 2 cup cooking oil (see notes)
Instructions
- Place the pork chops on a cutting board, trim any excess fat, and flatten them by pounding with the dull side of your knife. Create a cross-hatch pattern, hitting them in one direction and then turning the chop 90 degrees and hitting it all the way across in the other direction. Flip the chop over and repeat on the other side. You can go back and forth a few times until it is ¼ to ½ inch thick. You can also use a meat mallet – but I use a knife to dirty fewer dishes.4 thin pork chops
- Season both sides of the cutlets with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
- Set up three shallow bowls. Put the flour in one bowl, whisk the egg with water in another, and add breadcrumbs to the third.¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 large egg, ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
- Dip each cutlet first in flour, then in egg, and finally coat it well with breadcrumbs. Using one hand for the dry steps (flour and breadcrumbs) and one hand for the wet steps (picking up the raw pork and egg) keeps your hands relatively mess-free. Place the breaded cutlets on a baking sheet and let them rest while you heat the oil.
- Pour 2 inches of oil into a large frying pan with high sides (see notes for alternatives) and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to maintain the temperature. Add two breaded pork cutlets and cook them for 2 minutes on each side.2 cup cooking oil
- Remove the cutlets from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels while you fry the remaining two.
- Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top and serve right away.
Notes
Pork loin chops: I prefer using chops that are between ½ and 1 inch thick for this recipe. The thicker the chop, the more you’ll need to pound it. If only thicker pork chops are available at the grocery store, you can freeze them for 30 minutes, then cut them in half to make thinner chops.
Skillet: This is the skillet I have. It has high sides, making it ideal for frying. If you don’t have something similar, use a pot and fry one cutlet at a time.
Oil: If you keep the oil at the right temperature, it uses surprisingly little to fry your food to crispy perfection. This recipe only absorbs two tablespoons of oil – I’ve measured! Once the 2 cups of oil have cooled, strain it back into the bottle to use the rest next time you make a crispy, fried dinner. The best oil to use is a high-heat cooking oil such as canola, peanut, sunflower, or avocado.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cutlet, Calories: 163kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 16g (5%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 9g (14%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 47mg (16%), Sodium: 699mg (30%), Potassium: 56mg (2%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 68IU (1%), Calcium: 33mg (3%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
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