This recipe for Crispy Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets is the best youll ever have! Thin slices of chicken breast are breaded with a homemade seasoned breadcrumb mixture then pan fried in extra virgin olive oil to get super crispy and flavorful.
Here in New Jersey, Italian breaded chicken cutlets are a staple and this recipe is the best one youll ever make. This is the most popular recipe on my website for good reason – its perfect. Just read the comments!.
This crispy chicken cutlet recipe was developed over several years. I took the recipe that was passed down through my Italian family and tweaked it with my professional chef experience to produce the crispiest, most flavorful chicken cutlets possible.
Chef Michelle, an old friend, taught me how to make these when we cooked together at Lisa’s Italian Market in Ventnor, NJ. Her cutlets are legendary and this recipe wouldnt exist without her!.
Keep reading to learn all of my secrets to making the best Italian pan fried chicken cutlets youll ever try!.
Love crispy chicken cutlets? Try my recipe for crispy Chicken Milanese with lemony arugula salad, or check out this brilliant method for making the crispiest Chicken Parmesan recipe!.
Chicken is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide From nuggets to wings, there are many different ways to enjoy this versatile ingredient. One popular chicken dish is the chicken breast cutlet. But what exactly is a cutlet and how does it differ from a regular chicken breast?
We’ll tell you everything you need to know about chicken breast cutlets in this article.
What is a Chicken Cutlet?
The term “cutlet” refers to a thin, flat slice of meat. Chicken cutlets are made from chicken breasts that have been sliced horizontally through the thickest part to create two thinner pieces.
These slices are often pounded with a meat mallet to make them even thinner and more uniform in size and shape. The resulting cutlets are thin, flat slices of chicken breast that are typically no more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
Pounding the chicken breasts produces cutlets that:
- Are a consistent size and shape for even cooking
- Cook faster than a whole chicken breast
- Provide a large surface area for breading and frying
- Can be easily incorporated into dishes like chicken parmesan
How Cutlets Differ from Chicken Breasts
While a chicken cutlet starts from a chicken breast, it’s not quite the same thing. Here are the key differences:
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Thickness – A chicken breast is thicker, ranging from 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick or more. Cutlets are pounded thin, less than 1/2 inch thick.
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Cooking time – The thinner cutlets cook much faster than a whole chicken breast. Cutlets may take just 2-4 minutes per side to cook through while a breast needs upwards of 15 minutes.
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Texture: Cutlets are soft and delicate because they are pounded very thin. Chicken breasts are dense and chewy in comparison.
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Uses: You can grill, bake, sauté, and do many other things with chicken breasts. Cutlets are great for quick cooking methods like breading or frying in a pan or skillet.
How to Make Chicken Cutlets
It’s easy and cheaper to make chicken cutlets at home than to buy them already cut up. Just follow these simple steps:
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Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Rinse and pat dry.
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Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally through the thickest part to create 2 even slices.
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Place the slices between sheets of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to gently pound each slice to a 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.
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Season the cutlets as desired. Standard options include salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley.
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Cook using your preferred method such as pan frying, baking, or breading and frying. The thinner cutlets will cook fast, in just 2-4 minutes per side.
And that’s all there is to it! With just a knife, mallet, and 5 minutes of prep time, you can easily make restaurant-quality chicken cutlets at home.
Popular Ways to Cook Chicken Cutlets
There are many quick and delicious ways to cook chicken cutlets once you have them prepped. Here are some of the most popular preparation methods:
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Pan-fried – Fry in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
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Baked – Brush with oil and bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until no longer pink inside.
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Breaded and fried – Coat with breadcrumbs or flour then pan fry or air fry for crispy cutlets. Try chicken Parmesan or chicken katsu.
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Sautéed – Cook gently in a pan with olive oil or butter and seasonings of choice.
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Grilled – Coat with oil and grill over medium heat for quick chicken satay or fajitas.
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Broiled – Brush cutlets with olive oil and broil 4-5 minutes per side for easy meals.
The possibilities are endless! Cutlets are also great in salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more.
Benefits of Chicken Cutlets
Compared to chicken breasts, thin cutlets offer several advantages:
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Faster cooking – No need to pound and flatten a whole breast. Cutlets are ready to cook in minutes.
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More surface area – Greater surface area compared to the thickness allows for even, fast cooking.
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Ideal for breading – Cutlets provide the perfect thin base for breadcrumbs to adhere.
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Uniform pieces – Pounding produces uniform thickness ideal for recipes requiring same-size pieces.
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Tender texture – Pounding helps break down muscle fibers for a delicately tender bite.
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Versatile – Thin cutlets work great in everything from Italian dishes to Asian stir fries.
So for fast weeknight meals, kid-friendly foods, and maximizing the versatility of chicken breasts, pre-cut or homemade cutlets are hard to beat!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do chicken cutlets last in the fridge?
Raw chicken cutlets can be refrigerated for 3-5 days. For best quality, freeze any longer term storage.
Can you freeze chicken cutlets?
Yes, raw or cooked cutlets freeze well for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before use.
Should you pound chicken cutlets?
Pounding helps produce thin, even cutlets but isn’t strictly required. Use a mallet for best texture and shape.
What’s the difference between a cutlet and tenderloin?
Tenderloins are a separate muscle while cutlets come from slicing chicken breasts. Both are thin.
How thick should chicken cutlets be?
For even cooking, cutlets should be pounded to a thickness of 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch.
Faq about Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets
It helps to let the breaded chicken cutlets rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before frying. This helps the breading adhere to the chicken and form a crust.
If the oil isnt hot enough, the breadcrumbs will absorb the oil and turn soggy, resulting in chicken cutlets that are more greasy than they are crispy. Make sure the oil has plenty of time to heat up before placing the chicken cutlets in the pan. It should look shimmery. Ho.
The best way to keep the chicken crispy is to set a rack on top of a sheet pan and allow the cutlets to drain on that rather than paper towels. You can keep them in a 250 degree F oven for up to an hour before serving to keep them hot and crispy.
Yes. A lot of people prefer to fry in a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil because they have a higher smoke point, but I find they have a much better flavor when fried in olive oil. If you’re not sure about frying in olive oil alone, try a 50/50 mix of olive oil and vegetable oil.
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Why This Recipe Works
- This is an easy recipe that anyone can follow. I started making these when I was a child.
- These are made with homemade seasoned breadcrumbs instead of Italian breadcrumbs from the store. This makes them extra crispy and cheesy.
- By pounding the chicken very thin, it can be cooked all the way through in the pan, without needing to go into the oven.
- When you season each chicken breast before you bread it, the meat stays juicy and full of flavor.
- When you add grated cheese to the egg mix, the breading gets even crispier and tastes better.
Breadcrumbs – If you have homemade breadcrumbs – use those. Otherwise, unseasoned Panko breadcrumbs are the way to go. Theyre lighter than traditional breadcrumbs and make the best crispy coating. I prefer to season my own breadcrumbs rather than using already seasoned Italian breadcrumbs because the flavor is so much better.
Grated Cheese – You can use either a good quality parmesan, such as Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano, or a good quality Pecorino Romano, such as Locatelli. Use either one or both, just make sure youre using the good stuff – it makes a difference.
Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. First, cut the chicken breasts into thin slices. You can also buy chicken breasts that have already been sliced thin. We’ll go one step further and pound the chicken until it is very thin. The thinner they are, the better they are.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Some people say you should never to fry in extra virgin olive oil, but I disagree. It makes all the difference in this recipe and gives the chicken much more flavor than when its fried in vegetable oil. For frying, use a less expensive olive oil and not the top-shelf stuff thats best reserved for finishing.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Meat Mallet – Pounding out the chicken ensures it will fry up evenly without having to go into the oven to finish. A meat pounder works best, but you can use the bottom of a skillet or a flat bottomed coffee mug in a pinch.
Wire Rack – You can drain the fried chicken cutlets on paper towels, but a wire rack will help them stay extra crispy.
