Breaded Chicken Cutlets are a staple in my kitchen, crispy, golden, and pan-fried to perfection. This easy, reliable recipe reflects the kind of from-scratch comfort food families come back to again and again. Steps are clear and tested so your chicken turns out perfectly every time.
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Why We Love These Breaded Chicken Cutlets
- Quick and Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes and great for busy weeknights!
- Simple Ingredients: No special ingredients needed, just simple pantry staples.
- Pan-fried, Not Deep-fried: Less mess, no special equipment, and still full of flavor.
- Crispy and Golden: The perfect crunch on the outside with juicy, tender chicken inside.
- Family Approved: A kid-friendly favorite that pleases everyone.
- Versatile: Serve this chicken with pasta, salad, in sandwiches, or alongside roasted veggies.
- Reliable results: The recipe has been tested and perfected for consistent success.
Chicken Cutlets Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Breast, boneless and skinless
- All Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Large Eggs
- Plain Breadcrumbs
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Italian Seasoning
- Dried Parsley
- Garlic Powder
- Lemon Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Substitution Suggestions
- Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a great option. Just make sure they are pounded out to the same thickness.
- All Purpose Flour: White whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour is a good substitute.
- Plain Breadcrumbs: I like to use plain breadcrumbs and season them myself. However, you can use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. For a more crunchy texture you could also use panko breadcrumbs.
- Parmesan Cheese: I love using parmesan cheese the most, but pecorino or asiago cheese is delicious too.
- Seasonings: You can use your favorite seasoning blend. I keep it simple, but if you like a more pungent flavor you can add some chili flakes, cayenne or smoked paprika.
- Lemon Pepper: You can also use some fresh lemon zest in the breadcrumbs and add a little lemon juice with the eggs.
- Olive Oil: I like to pan fry the chicken in extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor. Not a top shelf expensive bottle. But you could also use canola oil or vegetable oil.
How to Make Chicken Cutlets
- First, cut the chicken breast in half lengthwise to create two thin breasts. Then pound the chicken to ¼ inch thickness. Repeat with rest of chicken and set aside.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack.
- Now, prepare the breading stations. In a large shallow dish combine: all purpose flour, salt and black pepper and whisk it all together.
- In another shallow dish, beat eggs until frothy and smooth.
- To another large shallow dish combine: breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt and lemon pepper seasoning. Mix it together so everything is evenly combined.
- Now line up the stations in this order: flour, then eggs, and lastly breadcrumbs.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour on both sides, shaking off any excess.
- Then dip the chicken breast into the beaten eggs and let excess drip off.
- Lastly, coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. Using your hand to pat the breadcrumbs onto the chicken and help adhere it. Make sure the chicken is fully coated.
- Let the chicken rest while you heat the oil. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large deep skillet, then heat over medium-high heat. If using a thermometer you want the temperature of the oil to be around 360°F.
- Fry the chicken, 2-3 pieces at a time, for 5-6 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the chicken to a wire rack and if needed check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant read thermometer. Chicken should read 160°F.
- Finish frying the remaining chicken pieces.
- Serve and enjoy!
Pro Tip: Use one hand for dipping the chicken in the eggs, and the other hand for dipping in the dry ingredients. Or use a fork to keep your hands clean. Use a fork rather than tongs to turn over the chicken. Tongs can tear the breading off the chicken.
What to Serve with Italian Chicken Cutlets
These Italian Chicken Cutlets are delicious served with just about any side dish. Pasta, side salads and roasted vegetables are among our favorites! This chicken is also delicious inside a piece of French bread or a hoagie bun with some lettuce and your favorite dressing. Caesar is my favorite! Check out some of our favorite side dishes below:
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Instant Pot Mac N Cheese
- Baked Broccoli Mac N Cheese
- Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
We love breaded chicken in my family. If you and your family does too don't miss my recipes for Oven Fried Chicken Legs, Corn Flake Chicken Tenders, and Baked Chicken Parmesan. They are all crispy, crunchy and utterly delicious!
Storing Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Storing: Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: To maintain the crispiness of the chicken, place chicken on wire rack and reheat in a 350°F oven or toaster oven for about 8-10 minutes just until warmed through. Another option is to use an air fryer preheated to 375°F and reheat the chicken for 3-5 minutes until warmed all the way through. You can also reheat in the microwave but the breading tends to get soggy.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- Interlocking breading trays are great for the dredging stations. I have the pampered chef set but these stainless steel ones on Amazon will work well too.
- I love the pampered chef meat mallet. This dual sided meat mallet is very similar.
- I love using a cast iron skillet for this recipe. It conducts and maintains the heat the best.
- This sheet pan and rack combo is perfect for this recipe! These aluminum sheet pans from Nordic Ware are a great option if you need the half sheet size.
- An instant-read thermometer is ideal for checking the temperature of chicken. I use the Pampered Chef one but this instant read thermometer from OXO is great too!
- I have a Nuwave basket air fryer. It works great.
Tips for Italian Chicken Cutlets
- Gather all your ingredients before you start cooking.
- Make sure the chicken pieces are all about the same thickness. They will cook more evenly.
- Grate your own cheese, it will adhere and fry better.
- Use your palms and fingers to press the breading on the chicken to make it stick better.
- Don't overcrowd the skillet when frying. Fry only 2-3 pieces at a time depending on the size of your skillet and chicken pieces.
- Drain the chicken on a wire rack rather than paper towels. This will help keep them crispy on all sides and prevent the bottoms from becoming soggy.
FAQs
First, follow the steps for coating the chicken with the breading. Don't skip any steps. Pat the breading down onto the chicken to help it adhere. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before frying. This helps form a crust.
The order is flour, egg, breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken cutlets in flour first to create a dry layer. Then dip the chicken in the egg wash. The egg acts as a binding agent and allows the breadcrumbs to adhere to the chicken.
I prefer to pan fry my chicken cutlets in extra virgin olive oil, even though it has a lower smoke point it works really well for this recipe. It has the best flavor. However you can fry them in olive oil, canola oil, vegetable oil or avocado oil.
This depends on the thickness of your chicken cutlet and the temperature of your oil. I fry ¼ inch thick chicken cutlets in oil over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes on each side.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes:
- Baked Cumin Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Simple Roasted Chicken Breast
- Chicken in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
- Bacon Wrapped Cheesy Broccoli Chicken
- Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
- Easy Orange Chicken
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Crispy Corn Flake Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken and Vegetables
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Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast (about 3 breasts), boneless, skinless
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
Breading
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
- olive oil, for frying
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thin breasts. Then pound the chicken to ¼ inch thickness. Repeat with rest of chicken and set aside.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack.
- In a large shallow dish combine: all purpose flour, salt and black pepper and whisk it all together.
- In another shallow dish, beat eggs until frothy and smooth.
- To another large shallow dish combine breading ingredients: breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, garlic powder, salt and lemon pepper seasoning. Mix it together so everything is evenly combined.
- Line up the stations in this order: flour, then eggs, and lastly breadcrumbs.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour on both sides, shaking off any excess.
- Then dip the chicken breast into the beaten eggs and let excess drip off.
- Coat the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture. Using your hand to pat the breadcrumbs onto the chicken and help adhere it. Make sure the chicken is fully coated. Let the breaded chicken rest while you heat the oil.
- Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large deep skillet (about 3-4 tablespoons), then heat over medium-high heat. If using a thermometer you want the temperature of the oil to be around 360°F.
- Fry the chicken, 2-3 pieces at a time, for 5-6 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack and if needed check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant read thermometer. Chicken should read 160°F. Finish frying the remaining chicken pieces.
- Serve and enjoy!
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