For chicken schnitzel, butterfly the breast by opening it into 2 layers, then pound it between 2 sheets of paper until it has an even thickness. The target is about 1 cm; even thickness matters more than making the meat especially thin. If the thickness varies, the thin end can dry out while the thick end remains raw. Pounding also loosens the meat fibers and tenderizes the schnitzel. Once the thickness is even, cooking becomes much easier.
Start with preparation. Remove the small tenderloin from the underside of the breast because it has a different thickness and will fall apart if pounded together with the larger piece; save it for another use, such as a stir-fry. Hold the end of the white tendon that runs through the tenderloin and pull it out. Trim away the shiny membranes on the breast, too, because they shrink during cooking and make the piece curl. Finally, pat the meat thoroughly dry; wet meat can slide on the cutting board and the coating will not adhere.
Do not pound a thick breast as-is; open it into 2 halves first. Lay the breast on the board and hold the knife at its side, parallel to the board, while pressing the meat from above with your other hand to keep it steady. Slowly cut through the breast without going all the way to the opposite edge; stop about 1 cm short and open the piece like a book. If you prefer, cut completely through the center into 2 halves, making 2 separate schnitzels. This step helps keep the meat from tearing while pounding.
Place the opened piece between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap; pounding the meat directly can tear it and make it stick to the counter. Use the flat side of a meat mallet; the toothed side tears the fibers and can puncture the piece. Pound from the center outward, spreading the meat as you go; hard, vertical blows do not make it thinner and can only punch holes in it. Aim for an even thickness of about 1 cm throughout. If you do not have a mallet, the bottom of a heavy pot can work.
If the opened schnitzel will sit before cooking, keep it between the paper sheets in a covered container in the refrigerator. Salt it just before cooking; salting thin meat too early draws out moisture and wets the surface. If breading it, keep the order of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then let the coated piece rest briefly in the refrigerator. Keep the oil at 170–180°C / 340–355°F; a piece 1 cm thick takes only a few minutes per side at this temperature. A wide skillet is also useful; when the pieces are not touching, the oil temperature does not drop.
For schnitzel, thickness determines cooking time, but the safety target stays the same: poultry must reach 74°C / 165°F. A piece 1 cm thick reaches this temperature quickly, so it is easy to overcook and dry it out; still, check the thickest part with a thermometer. Place cooked schnitzel on a wire rack instead of paper towels, or steam underneath can soften the coating. Store leftover pieces in a single layer so the coatings do not stick together. The same method works for veal and lamb schnitzel, but for those meats the target internal temperature is 63°C / 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
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