Easy Potato-Crusted Turkey Cutlets, or turkey schnitzels, are a gluten-free, dairy-free recipe for turkey breast cutlets. Made with only 4 ingredients, this budget-friendly recipe uses an optional flavorful pre-made Israeli spice mixture for savory seasoning.
Turkey cutlets are a quick, high-protein meal perfect for busy weeknights or a relaxed weekend lunch.
Serve them with mashed potatoes or fries, or tuck them into a pita with your favorite fillings. Or have them in a baguette or roll.
Enjoy them plain, with ketchup, or with your preferred dipping sauce.
They are cost-effective, versatile, and kid-friendly.
For a fun twist, cut the breast into strips before coating to create gluten-free turkey fingers, or into smaller pieces for homemade turkey nuggets.
This recipe calls for a homemade Israeli spice mixture, but you can customize it by using your own favorite seasonings instead.
And turkey has health benefits!
In countries such as Germany, Austria, and Israel, turkey cutlets are called (turkey) schnitzel.
What is a schnitzel?
The word “schnitzel” comes from German, meaning “cutlet,” and is prepared from fried or baked tenderized slices of meat coated with egg and flour or breadcrumbs.
The story goes that schnitzel was brought to the Austro-Hungarian Empire from Italy in the middle of the 19th century.
Ever heard of the term “Wiener schnitzel” (the “w” being pronounced like a “v”)? Well, apparently, the schnitzel dish of veal coated in breadcrumbs and fried in butter or lard was named after the Austrian city of Vienna somewhere around the turn of the 20th century, and the wienerschnitzel was born!
Then, like today, the dish was often served with fries or mashed potatoes.
Before coating, the meat is either tenderized—using a meat-tenderizing hammer—or just cut into thin slices.
Today, this original dish is prepared and served throughout the world in a variety of ways, using veal, lamb, beef, pork, turkey, or chicken, and may be known by different names (such as breaded veal cutlet, breaded pork chop, or chicken-fried steak).
In Israel, shnitzels are a very popular dish.
Fast food stalls in Israel serve schnitzel in a pita or on a French baguette, accompanied by veggies or French fries, and there are eateries entirely dedicated to serving schnitzel in a variety of ways.
At home, people also serve schnitzel in a pita with vegetables and hummus or tahini or on a plate with sides. Israeli salad of diced cucumber and tomato is a common pita filler or side.
The Israeli version of schnitzel is made from chicken or turkey breast, but the name “schnitzel” is used also for other breaded foods, such as fish (fish schnitzel) or the vegetarian packaged version made with corn (corn schnitzel).
Most of the popular food in Israeli cuisine is from Mizrachi Jews (Jews that immigrated to Israel from Arab countries, mostly when they were expelled from there after the establishment of the State of Israel).
However, schnitzel is one of the few foods in popular Israeli cuisine that were brought to Israel by Ashkenazi Jews (i.e., Jews of Eastern European descent).
Today, most Israelis make schnitzel by coating it with egg and then breadcrumbs, but back when I was taught to make them, the coating was eggs, breadcrumbs, or flour, and then another coating of eggs before placing it in the hot oil to fry.
Also, some people will coat with flour before the egg because a dry piece of chicken or turkey may hold the egg better. Personally, I haven’t found any difference.
While frying is the usual way Israelis make their schnitzels, baking them will reduce fat and thus reduce calories. Note that they might be a little less favorable.
Before frying, spices can be added to the dry coating, such as salt, paprika, or grill powder (as in this recipe), and, unless someone doesn’t keep kosher and intentionally adds milk to the eggs, schnitzels in Israel are traditionally made dairy-free.
In my home, we make schnitzels with a variety of dry coatings—instant potato flakes, flour, breadcrumbs, and…cornflakes!
Some useful cooking terms:
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking, though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.
Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?
If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor-related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance-related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.
What does “savory” mean?
“Savory” refers to foods that are not sweet, such as foods that taste salty, spicy, or herbal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I slice my turkey breast for this turkey schnitzel recipe?
I would keep the slices under 1/2″ thick because you don’t want the outside to cook quicker than the inside, so you don’t end up with a schnitzel that is raw on the inside. If you have a thicker schnitzel, you should use a little bit of a lower heat so the outside doesn’t cook too quickly.
Can I bake these turkey cutlets instead of frying?
Yes, you can bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 200°C (400°F) for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and golden.
Are these turkey cutlets completely gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, using a potato-based crust instead of traditional breadcrumbs.
Can I freeze cooked potato-crusted turkey cutlets?
Yes, you can freeze them after cooking. Let them cool completely, store them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers, and reheat them in the oven or air fryer to bring back the crispiness.
What oil is best for frying turkey schnitzel?
Use a high-heat, neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola oil, grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil.
Everyday pantry essentials to keep in your kitchen (suggested)
I have found that this list of “essentials” is great to always have on hand in my kitchen and has saved me numerous sudden trips to the store or having to borrow from a neighbor.
Seasoning and flavoring:
- salt (my recipes use regular table salt)
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder (I prefer granulated)
- onion powder
- sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
- hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
- ground turmeric
- ground cumin
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consommé powder / beef bouillon powder (regular or vegetarian)
- onion soup mix
- onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion—3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Misc:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- coconut cream as a dairy-free cream substitute
- flavorless milk substitute as a dairy-free milk alternative
- cornstarch as a thickening agent
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- bread crumbs or cornflake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
- condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
- soy sauce (makes a great flavoring for savory foods)
- ready-made pie crusts and dough (to just add filling)
We always have eggs in the fridge and onions, rice, and potatoes on our shelves, as well as pasta.
In addition, having some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers (various colors), etc., can be very useful when putting together a quick but delicious meal.
It is also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts) in the freezer to help make dinner in a snap.
So, what is needed to make potato-crusted turkey cutlets?
Even if you don’t want to keep a pantry full of just-in-case ingredients, these are all you need to have on hand to make this recipe!
raw boneless turkey breast cutlets
egg
instant potato flakes
seasoning
oil for frying
Love chicken?
Try these:
Honey Garlic Chicken
New York Deli-Style Chicken Salad
Dairy-Free Chicken Pot Pie
Easy Potato-Crusted Turkey Cutlets Recipe
Easy and delicious, gluten-free and dairy free turkey cutlets.
Ingredients
- 4 6-ounce raw boneless turkey breast cutlets
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup cup of instant potato flakes
- 1 tablespoon Israeli Grill Seasoning Mix*
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the potato flakes and the Israeli Grill Seasoning Mix in a bowl and combine well.
- Then, place the beaten eggs in another bowl (make sure both bowls are large enough to easily accommodate the raw chicken cutlets).
- Pour oil into a frying pan so it reaches approximately 1/8 - 1/4 inch high and heat on medium. (You will know it's hot enough when you can toss a little bit of potato flakes in and it sizzles.)
- Take a piece of the raw turkey cutlets and dip in the egg, coating well. Let the excess egg drip off a bit and then coat well with the potato flakes on both sides.
- Gently place in the hot oil.
- Repeat with the remaining cutlets. Make sure to leave a little room between the cutlets.
- Fry on one side until golden brown, then gently turn and fry on the other.
- Remove from oil and place on paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil and cool.
Notes
*This is a recommendation. You can spice as you wish with whatever seasoning you want or not at all (but they may be somewhat bland if not spiced at all).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 283Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 1288mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 42g