Chicken Cutlets Recipe
Published July 24, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This easy-to-make chicken cutlets recipe involves coating them in flour, egg wash, seasoned bread crumbs and pan-frying until golden brown. This is it if you are looking for a versatile, delicious dish.
We are big chicken eaters in our house. It’s delicious, easy to cook with, and versatile in many dishes. If you feel the same way, try my Tuscan Chicken or Chicken Biryani.
Chicken Cutlets
Chicken cutlets are thin, tender slices of breaded meat sauteed until golden brown. The word cutlet refers to the thin slice of meat regardless of whether it’s breaded. The chicken can be breaded in regular or seasoned breadcrumbs, like with a Milanese.
Cutlet comes from the French word Côtellete, a piece of meat dipped in egg and bread crumbs and fried. The variation of this French dish can also be seen in Italian cutlets and Austrian Wiener schnitzel, both of which would have originally used veal instead of chicken.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken — Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are best. However, you can also use boneless, skinless thighs.
- Flour – All-purpose or bread flour will work well.
- Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature or chilled is great.
- Bread Crumbs – You can use panko, regular bread crumbs, or Italian bread crumbs.
- Oil – I used a combination of olive and avocado oil. Any neutral-flavored oil will also work.
- Seasoning – Only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper is used.
How to Make Chicken Cutlets
Thinly slice each chicken breast in half widthwise.
Place each sliced chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound them using a meat mallet or tenderizer until it is no thicker than ¼” of an inch.
Add flour to a cake in a large shallow bowl, whisking together the flour with salt and pepper.
Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper together in a separate cake tin or large shallow bowl.
Mix the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a separate cake tin or large shallow bowl. Set it to the side.
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Next, dredge one chicken breast into the flour to coat it.
Transfer it to the egg wash pan, dunk it, and flip it until coated on all sides.
Next, add the bread crumbs and shake the pan to get the crumbs to move over the top of the chicken. Flip the chicken over and press it down to get the crumbs to stick to the chicken completely. Place it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a platter.
Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded.
Add the oil to a large frying pan over medium heat until it reaches 375°.
Add the breaded chicken two or so at a time to the pan of hot oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides and cooked throughout.
Set the chicken cutlets on a rack over a sheet tray and repeat the process until all the chicken is cooked.
Serve it with an optional garnish of parsley, Parmigiano, and sliced lemon. Add them to a chicken cutlet sandwich or as a lemon butter chicken cutlet.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: These chicken cutlets are meant to be eaten as soon as they’re done cooking. You can keep them warm over a rack on a sheet tray and in the oven at low temperatures (<200°) for up to 30 minutes.
How to Store: Store it in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It freezes well, covered individually in plastic for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat: Add the desired number of chicken cutlets to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until hot.
Chef Notes + Tips
- If the chicken breast is thicker and bigger than normal, you may be able to get three cutlets from it.
- You may need to drain and change the oil if it gets too dark from the bread crumbs.
- There should be enough oil in the pan that comes up to the halfway mark on the chicken cutlet.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Chicken Cutlets Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 7 to 9 ounces each
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cups of regular or Italian bread crumbs
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- avocado or olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Thinly slice each chicken breast in half widthwise.
- Place each sliced chicken breast one at a time between two pieces of parchment paper, plastic wrap, or plastic bag and gently pound them using a meat mallet or tenderizer until it is no thicker than ¼” of an inch.
- Add flour to a cake tin or a large shallow bowl, and whisk together the flour with salt and pepper. Set it to the side.
- In a separate cake tin or large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper. Briefly set it to the side.
- In a separate cake tin or large shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Set it to the side.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, dredge one chicken breast into the flour to coat it. Dust off any extra.
- Transfer it to the egg wash pan, dunk it, and flip it until coated on all sides.
- Next, add the bread crumbs and shake the pan to get the crumbs to move over the top of the chicken. Flip the chicken over and press it down to get the crumbs to stick completely to it. Place it on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a platter. Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded.
- Add the oil to a large frying pan over medium heat until it reaches 375°.
- Add the breaded chicken two or so at a time to the pan of hot oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown on both sides and cooked throughout.
- Set the chicken cutlets on a rack over a sheet tray and repeat the process until all the chicken is cooked. Repeat the process until all the chicken is cooked.
- Serve it with an optional garnish of parsley, Parmigiano, and lemon slices. Try adding them to a chicken cutlet sandwich or as a lemon butter chicken cutlet.
What is the lemon sauce recipe please
You can find the recipe for the Lemon Chicken Cutlets at https://www.billyparisi.com/lemon-chicken-cutlets/
Another excellent recipe. Thank you
My pleasure!
These sound so delicious. I can always use a delicious and easy recipe around here. I make a lot of Chicken Breast here. Both my sons go to the Gym everyday they can make it there. They always take 2 to 3 Chicken breasts with them to eat while they work out, for 3 to 5 hours at a time. These would be so great for the night when we are all busy around here.
So good!!
Delicious
Thank you!
This recipe is on my regular rotation! Fabulous Chef.
Fantastic!