Kotlet Schabowy — Poland’s Crispy Breaded Pork Cutlet (Better Than Schnitzel)
Every Pole will fight you if you call this schnitzel. It’s schabowy. And it’s better. I said what I said.
Kotlet schabowy (pronounced “KOHT-let skha-BOH-vee”) is Poland’s national dish — a boneless pork cutlet, pounded thin, coated in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then pan-fried until golden and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside. Served with boiled potatoes and mizeria (Polish cucumber salad), it’s what Sunday dinner looks like in almost every Polish household.
If you grew up in a Polish neighbourhood anywhere in the world, you know the sound of schabowy being made — that rhythmic thwack-thwack-thwack of a meat mallet pounding cutlets on a Sunday morning. In the apartment building where my family lived in Poland, you could hear it echoing through the walls. It meant somebody’s mama was making dinner, and everybody knew exactly what was cooking.
What Is Kotlet Schabowy?
Kotlet schabowy is a breaded and fried pork cutlet made from schab — the Polish word for pork loin. The technique is nearly identical to Austrian Wiener Schnitzel (which uses veal) and German Schnitzel (which can use pork or chicken). The Polish version appeared on tables in the 19th century, likely inspired by those Central European neighbours, but quickly became something entirely its own.
During the communist era in Poland, pork was scarce and expensive. Having the right connections at the butcher shop was almost as valuable as the meat itself. Kotlet schabowy became a symbol of prosperity — if you could hear someone pounding cutlets through the walls, you knew they’d scored a good cut. That cultural weight stuck. Even now, with pork loin available in every supermarket, schabowy still carries a Sunday-dinner significance that no other Polish dish quite matches.
Kotlet Schabowy vs Schnitzel vs Chicken Fried Steak
I get asked this a lot, so let me clear it up:
Wiener Schnitzel uses veal, is typically thinner, and is fried in clarified butter. German Schnitzel can use pork (Schweineschnitzel) and is very close to schabowy. Chicken fried steak uses beef, a thicker batter, and is served with gravy. Japanese tonkatsu uses pork loin with panko breadcrumbs and is served with a special sauce and shredded cabbage.
Kotlet schabowy uses pork loin with fine breadcrumbs, is fried in lard or oil (never butter — it burns), and is served with potatoes and cucumber salad. The big differentiator? The milk-and-onion marinade that many Polish grandmas swear by, which tenderises the meat in a way no amount of pounding alone can achieve.
And yes, the katsu connection is real — when I first tried chicken katsu at a Japanese restaurant, I nearly fell off my chair. It’s basically schabowy with a different sauce. Poland and Japan: cutlet soulmates.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- • 4 boneless pork loin chops, about ½ inch (1.5cm) thick
- • 1 cup whole milk (for the marinade)
- • 1 small onion, sliced into rings (for the marinade)
- • ½ cup all-purpose flour
- • 2 large eggs, beaten
- • 1 cup fine breadcrumbs (not panko — traditional Polish schabowy uses fine crumbs)
- • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- • A pinch of dried marjoram (optional but traditional)
- • Oil for frying — lard is traditional, vegetable oil works fine
On breadcrumbs: Fine, dry breadcrumbs are traditional and give that characteristic thin, crispy shell. Panko creates a crunchier, more Japanese-katsu-style coating. Both are delicious — traditional purists use fine crumbs, I sometimes use a 50/50 mix when I want extra crunch.
How to Make Kotlet Schabowy Step by Step
1
1Pound the Cutlets
Place each pork chop between two sheets of cling film or inside a zip-lock bag. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan, pound them evenly until about ¼ inch (5mm) thick. Don’t be gentle — the meat needs to be uniformly thin so it cooks quickly and stays tender. Pound from the centre outward so the thickness is even.
2
2Marinade in Milk (Optional but Recommended)
Place the pounded cutlets in a shallow dish and cover with milk. Scatter the onion rings on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. The milk tenderises the pork and adds a subtle sweetness. This step is what separates a good schabowy from a great one.
When ready to cook, remove the cutlets from the milk, pat them very dry with paper towels, and season generously with salt, pepper, and a pinch of marjoram on both sides.
3
3Set Up the Breading Station
Arrange three shallow bowls in a line: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, breadcrumbs in the third. This assembly line makes the process fast and clean.
4
4Bread the Cutlets
Take each cutlet and coat it in flour first (shake off any excess), then dip into the beaten egg (let the excess drip off), then press firmly into the breadcrumbs on both sides. Make sure the coating is even and covers every surface. Press the breadcrumbs in with your palm — this prevents them from falling off during frying.
5
5Fry Until Golden
Heat enough oil in a large skillet to come about ½ cm up the sides of the pan. The oil is ready when a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles immediately. The temperature should be around 170°C / 340°F — medium-high heat.
Fry each cutlet for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Don’t move them around — let the crust set before flipping. Don’t overcrowd the pan; fry in batches if needed.
Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Let them rest for 2 minutes before serving — this keeps the juices inside and the coating crispy.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C / 400°F. Lightly spray the breaded cutlets with oil on both sides. Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through. The result is slightly less golden than pan-frying but significantly less greasy — and my kids honestly can’t tell the difference.
Tips for Perfect Schabowy
💡 Pro Tips
✓ Pound evenly. Uneven thickness means some parts overcook while others stay raw. Take your time.
✓ Dry the meat before breading. Wet meat = soggy coating. Pat it dry with paper towels after the milk marinade.
✓ Don’t skip the flour step. Flour creates a base that helps the egg stick, which helps the breadcrumbs stick. Skip it and your coating slides right off.
✓ Medium-high heat, not high. Too hot and the breadcrumbs burn before the pork cooks through. Too low and the coating absorbs oil and gets greasy.
✓ Use fine breadcrumbs for authenticity. Make your own by blitzing stale bread in a food processor until very fine. It gives a thinner, more elegant crust.
✓ Add a squeeze of lemon before serving. This is how many Poles eat schabowy — the acidity cuts through the richness beautifully.
What to Serve With Kotlet Schabowy
The classic Polish Sunday dinner plate is schabowy + potatoes + mizeria. But here’s the full spread:
• Boiled or mashed potatoes — with butter and fresh dill. This is the traditional pairing.
• Mizeria (Polish cucumber salad) — cool, creamy, refreshing. The perfect contrast to the crispy cutlet.
• Kapusta (braised cabbage) — with bacon and caraway seeds. A heartier alternative to mizeria.
• Rosół as a first course — the traditional Sunday meal in Poland is rosół followed by schabowy. If you want the authentic experience, start with the soup.
• Polish pickled cucumbers (ogórki kiszone) — the tangy crunch pairs perfectly with fried food.
How to Store and Reheat
Fridge: Store leftover schabowy in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Freeze uncooked breaded cutlets between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer bag. Cook from frozen — add 2-3 extra minutes per side. Alternatively, freeze cooked cutlets and reheat in the oven.
Reheating: Oven is best — 180°C / 350°F for 10-15 minutes keeps the coating crispy. Air fryer works even better — 5-7 minutes at 190°C / 375°F. Avoid the microwave — it turns the crispy coating soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Yes — chicken breast prepared the same way is called kotlet drobiowy in Poland and it’s equally popular. Pound it thinner since chicken dries out faster than pork. Turkey breast also works well.
Why does my breadcrumb coating fall off?
Usually one of three reasons: the meat was too wet (dry it thoroughly), you skipped the flour step (it’s the glue layer), or the oil wasn’t hot enough when you started frying. Also, don’t move the cutlets for the first 2 minutes — let the crust set before flipping.
Is schabowy the same as schnitzel?
Very similar technique, different traditions. Wiener Schnitzel uses veal and clarified butter. German Schweineschnitzel uses pork and is essentially the same dish. Polish schabowy uses pork loin, often with a milk marinade, and is fried in oil or lard. The differences are subtle but Poles take them very seriously.
Can I bake schabowy instead of frying?
You can bake at 220°C / 425°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. Spray with oil before baking. It works but won’t achieve the same golden crispiness as frying. The air fryer gets closer to the fried result with less oil.
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