Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Breaded chicken cutlets are coated in a thin, but crispy crust of parmesan and flour, locking in the tender juiciness of these thinly sliced chicken breast tenderloins. They are lightly fried to golden perfection, and can be served in a variety of ways for an excellent meal.

Serve with and or slather in some and serve with pasta.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets are the perfect meal for family and friends because it can be served in so many different ways. I love making up a big batch and freezing them to be used later so we always have something awesome on hand for dinner.

Serve with a side of honey mustard or barbecue sauce, or in a sandwich or salad. The possibilities are endless with chicken cutlets, and they are loved by everyone. This is the type of recipe you really want in your back pock3t.

I love this recipe not only because you can serve it in so many different ways, but also because this is a meal that can be prepped cooked, and plated in under 30 minutes! That’s right, you heard me, less than 30 minutes.

And who doesn’t love a quick, easy, versatile chicken dinner option?

While I love a good , one of the reasons I like Breaded Chicken Cutlets is because of their versatility. There are several different meal options with this recipe.

Slather it in marinara and cheese for chicken parmesan. Serve it with sauce for a better version of fast food. Eat it as is with a salad. Endless options. And that thin, crispy crust is to. die. for!

Delicious breaded baked chicken cutlets

What You Need to Make Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Look over this simple list of ingredients and let’s get shopping! Honestly chances are you have a lot of what you need for breaded chicken cutlets in your pantry.

Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast Tenderloins
Salt and Pepper
Vegetable Oil
Lemon Wedges
Panko
Parmesan
All-Purpose Flour
Paprika
Eggs
Garlic Clove
Everything you need to make chicken cutlets
What is a chicken cutlet?
Chicken cutlets are thinly sliced chicken breast. A chicken breast is a whole breast. You can buy chicken cutlets, or you can make your own:

Buying Chicken Cutlets

Look for a nice pink color, not graying (indicates it is getting old).

Making Chicken Cutlets

Slice or pound your chicken breast into an even thickness.

How to Make Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Time needed: 25 minutes.

Making chicken cutlets is pretty simple. Prep the chicken and make the coating. Then dredge chicken in flour coating, next egg coating, and lastly panko crumb coating. Then let the chicken rest while heating up oil in a skillet. Fry chicken in sets of two on both sides until cooked through and golden brown (about 2-3 minutes each side). Serve chicken with lemon wedges and enjoy!

Prep Chicken
Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound chicken to even thickness.

Then remove plastic wrap, pat dry, and season.

Make Coatings for Chicken.
Distribute into three shallow dishes, panko bread crumbs and parmesan in one, flour and paprika in another, and crack eggs into the other one with garlic.

Mix all three dishes with a fork.

Dredge Chicken In Each Dish.
One cutlet at a time, dredge in flour and then shake off excess.
Next, dredge in eggs, and allow excess to drip off.
Lastly, dredge in panko crumbs, press gently to make sure crumbs stick to the chicken.
dredging chicken
Let Chicken Rest and Heat Skillet with Oil.
Place chicken on a wire rack that is sprayed with a non-stick spray.
Let chicken rest for 5 minutes.

While chicken is sitting, in a non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, add oil, and heat.
Letting chicken cutlets rest
Cook Cutlets.
Cook cutlets in the oil two at a time, for about 2-3 minutes.

Then flip cutlets, reduce heat to medium, and cook until cutlets are a deep golden brown, and crisp.

Use an instant read thermometer to ensure cutlets are cooked to 165 degrees internal temperature.

Remove chicken cutlets from oil, and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Repeat process.

Garnish and Serve.
Serve chicken with lemon wedges.
garnish and serve chicken cutlets

Tips and Tricks for Making Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Making this recipe is Eazy Peazy but here are some helpful tips and tricks so it goes smoothly every time…

Room Temp Chicken: You have probably seen instructions that say to let meat rest on a counter before cooking, this allows it to come to room temp, which promotes a more even cooking. So if you have the time plan to pull your chicken out of the refrigerator 15- 20 minutes ahead of cooking time.
Avoid Sogginess by Drying Chicken Before Dredging: Flour can become a soggy mess if chicken is not dry. Plus if chicken is wet, flour won’t stick properly, rather it will clump. Make sure to pat chicken dry first.
After Breading Let the Coating Dry Before Frying: Plan ahead a little so you have time and can let it sit a bit, this helps the coating stay on better.
Use the Right Amount of Oil: These cutlets are being pan fried, so you want to make sure you use the right amount of oil. It should be just enough to be half way up the side of the chicken.
Keep The Heat Consistent: You want your oil heat to be both high and consistent or the breading will absorb the oil and get greasy and soggy. So make sure your oil is heated before adding your chicken, and add only room temp chicken, so the cold chicken doesn’t drop the temp of the pan too quickly.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan. Only cook two chicken cutlets at a time, and even just one at a time if necessary. Too many pieces in the pan will cause the chicken to steam instead of fry and the coating will become soggy. It’s better to fry in batches.
Keep Chicken Warm and Crispy in the Oven: If you are doubling the recipe, then cooked chicken may sit out for a little bit, while cooking up the other pieces. Prevent chicken from getting cold and losing its crisp by putting chicken pieces in the oven. Set chicken on a cookie sheet in the oven on low temp, warming while other cutlets cook over the stove.
Other High Smoke Point Oils Can Be Used: While I would never recommend olive oil for frying, you can substitute other oils for vegetable oil for the frying. Peanut oil is a good choice, or any oil with a high smoke point.
Use Panko. It is Lower in Calories than other Bread Crumbs: While you can use other bread crumbs for this recipe, Panko is a lower calorie option.
There are Substitute Options for Panko: If you don’t want to use panko or breadcrumbs, there are other choices. Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, crackers, nuts, or potato chips are all possible options.

Use an Instant Read Thermometer. You do not want to get sick from undercooked chicken. So, be sure it’s cooked through by using a thermometer to get the internal temperature, it should be at 165 °F.
Breaded chicken cutlets pan fried

Make Ahead and Storage
This is one of my favorite recipes to prep ahead, but it isn’t great reheated, as the coating won’t be as crispy unless you reheat it in an air fryer. So if you plan to make it ahead, you can make the different components ahead, but wait to cook until ready to serve.

Prep and bread the chicken a day before.
Store breaded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Follow directions like normal when ready to cook.
Freezer Option:

Coat chicken with outer coating.
Place breadcrumb, coated chicken in the freezer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze.
Once frozen, transfer chicken from cookie sheet to gallon sized freezer bags.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Fry directly from frozen. Plan on a longer cook time, and use an instant read thermometer to achieve doneness. Internal temperature should be 165 degrees F.
Frozen Cutlets are going to be your new favorite dish. Make on the spot or ahead of time. Either way you’ll love it.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Breaded Chicken Cutlets are the perfect meal for family and friends because it can be served in so many different ways. Serve with a side of honey mustard or barbecue sauce, or in a sandwich or salad. The possibilities are endless with this dish.

Ingredients

4 6-8 ounce boneless, skinless, chicken breast made into cutlets, trimmed
Salt and Pepper
¾ cup Vegetable Oil
Lemon wedges
Breading
1 ½ cups Panko
½ cup Parmesan
¾ cup
½ teaspoon Paprika
2 Large Eggs
1 clove Garlic minced
Instructions
Instructions
Pull chicken out of the fridge, and allow to come to room temp, for 15-20 minutes. Cover chicken with plastic wrap and pound to even thickness of ½ an inch. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to achieve this.
Remove plastic, pat chicken dry with paper towels, and liberally season with salt and pepper.
Take three pie plates, or shallow dishes, place Panko bread crumbs and parmesan in one, flour and paprika in another, and break eggs into the other one with garlic. Use a fork to mix together panko and parmesan, flour and paprika, then use the same fork to whisk eggs and garlic together until frothy.
Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour, shake off excess.
Then dredge in eggs, and allow excess to drip off.
Then dredge in panko crumbs, press gently to make sure crumbs adhere.

Place chicken on a wire rack that is sprayed with a non-stick spray.
Let chicken sit for 5 minutes to allow the coating to dry.
Meanwhile, in a 12 inch non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, add oil, and heat until shimmering. You should have enough oil to go half way up the chicken breast cutlets in your pan, add or reduce oil as needed based on the pan you use.
Cook cutlets in the oil 2 at a time, cooking until golden brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Then flip cutlets, reduce heat to medium, and cook until cutlets are a deep golden brown, and crisp. About 2 ½ -3 minutes longer.
Use an instant read thermometer to ensure cutlets are cooked to 165 degrees internal temperature.
Remove chicken cutlets from oil, and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Repeat process with remaining chicken cutlets.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
Room Temp Chicken: You have probably seen instructions that say to let meat rest on a counter before cooking, this allows it to come to room temp, which promotes a more even cooking. So if you have the time plan to pull your chicken out of the refrigerator 15- 20 minutes ahead of cooking time.
Avoid Sogginess by Drying Chicken Before Dredging: Flour can become a soggy mess if chicken is not dry. Plus if chicken is wet, flour won’t stick properly, rather it will clump. Make sure to pat chicken dry first.
After Breading Let the Coating Dry Before Frying: Plan ahead a little so you have time and can let it sit a bit, this helps the coating stay on better.
Use the Right Amount of Oil: These cutlets are being pan fried, so you want to make sure you use the right amount of oil. It should be just enough to be half way up the side of the chicken.
Keep The Heat Consistent: You want your oil heat to be both high and consistent or the breading will absorb the oil and get greasy and soggy. So make sure your oil is heated before adding your chicken, and add only room temp chicken, so the cold chicken doesn’t drop the temp of the pan too quickly.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan. Only cook two chicken cutlets at a time, and even just one at a time if necessary. Too many pieces in the pan will cause the chicken to steam instead of fry and the coating will become soggy. It’s better to fry in batches.
Keep Chicken Warm and Crispy in the Oven: If you are doubling the recipe, then cooked chicken may sit out for a little bit, while cooking up the other pieces. Prevent chicken from getting cold and losing its crisp by putting chicken pieces in the oven. Set chicken on a cookie sheet in the oven on low temp, warming while other cutlets cook over the stove.
Other High Smoke Point Oils Can Be Used: While I would never recommend olive oil for frying, you can substitute other oils for vegetable oil for the frying. Peanut oil is a good choice, or any oil with a high smoke point.
Use Panko. It is Lower in Calories than other Bread Crumbs: While you can use other bread crumbs for this recipe, Panko is a lower calorie option.
There are Substitute Options for Panko: If you don’t want to use panko or breadcrumbs, there are other choices. Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, crackers, nuts, or potato chips are all possible options.
Use an Instant Read Thermometer. You do not want to get sick from undercooked chicken. So, be sure it’s cooked through by using a thermometer to get the internal temperature, it should be at 165 °F.