Crispy Breaded Chicken Breast Cutlets
There's nothing better than biting into hot and crispy breaded chicken cutlets! Classic Italian-style chicken cutlets are thin-sliced chicken breasts, lightly breaded with crisp coating of panko breadcrumbs, herbs and Parmesan. They cook in minutes and make a healthful meal everyone loves.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (90 g) panko crumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground black pepper
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 1½ pounds total, sliced into cutlets
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
To serve
- Hunk of Parmesan cheese for shaving
- Handful of arugula or baby greens
- ½ lemon sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Put two shallow bowls or pie plates on your work surface. Put the panko, parsley, and Parmesan in one plate and stir to combine. Crack the eggs into the other plate, then add the garlic powder, salt and cayenne and whisk until blended.
- Dip the chicken into the egg mixture, turning to coat on both sides. Tip: To keep your hands clean, use a pair of tongs or a fork to handle the chicken.
- Transfer the chicken to the panko mixture, turning it over to coat both sides with the crumbs. Nudge and press additional crumbs onto any bare spots. At this point, cook the chicken immediately, or arrange in one layer on a sheet pan, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours ahead.
- Heat a large (preferably 12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and immediately evaporates. Add a generous layer of olive oil (start with 2-3 tablespoons). Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Gently turn the chicken over with a spatula and cook another 2 minutes. Note: If your pan isn't large enough to hold all the chicken without crowding, fry in two batches, two breasts at a time, adding more olive oil as needed.
- Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Place the hot chicken on a platter. Top with the greens and shave some Parmesan over with a vegetable peeler (or just use more grated cheese). Squeeze the lemon wedges over the chicken and serve.
Video
Notes
- Keep the chicken cutlets warm in a low oven (175-200 degrees) up to an hour before serving.
- Cook the breaded chicken in an air fryer following the manufacturer's directions.
- Use chicken tenders instead of cutlets (cook time and method is the same).
- Serve breaded chicken cutlets with homemade marinara sauce alongside pasta.
- Add to sandwiches, with lemon aioli, lettuce and tomato.
Nutrition
Calories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 18gFat: 23gSodium: 564mgFiber: 2gSugar: 0.1g
