Jake Harper
Chicken cutlets are a versatile and tasty dish that can be adapted to suit your cravings. They are made by taking a chicken breast and slicing it horizontally into two thinner cutlets. The cutlets are then breaded and fried. The breading process typically involves three steps: dredging the chicken in flour, dipping it in an egg mixture, and finally coating it with breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs can be plain, Italian-seasoned, or even panko for an extra crispy texture. Before frying, it is important to let the breaded cutlets rest for a few minutes to allow the breading to absorb moisture and adhere properly. The frying process is quick, and the cutlets are cooked in batches in a skillet with hot oil or clarified butter. Chicken cutlets are a convenient weeknight meal that can be served in various ways, such as in sandwiches, on top of a salad, or as chicken parmesan.
Characteristics and Values Table for Breaded Chicken Cutlets
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Chicken | Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally and pounded thin |
| Seasoning | Salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, flaky sea salt, kosher salt, black pepper |
| Cheese | Parmesan, pecorino romano, grated cheese |
| Breading | Flour, breadcrumbs (panko or homemade), corn starch |
| Egg Mixture | Eggs, water |
| Oil | Extra virgin olive oil, clarified butter, frying oil |
| Cooking Method | Pan-fried, air fryer, oven |
| Cooking Time | 2-3 minutes per side, 15 minutes total |
| Serving Suggestions | Salad, sandwiches, chicken parmesan |
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What You'll Learn
Prepare the chicken cutlets
Preparing chicken cutlets is a simple process that can be done in a few easy steps. First, you will need to slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, creating two thinner cutlets from each breast. Place your hand flat on top of the chicken breast and carefully slice through the meat with a sharp knife. It's okay if the cutlets are not perfectly even in thickness.
Next, you will want to pound the cutlets to an even thickness. This can be done with a meat pounder or the flat side of a cook's knife. Pounding the meat helps ensure even cooking and a tender texture.
After slicing and pounding, it's time to season the chicken. Sprinkle both sides of the cutlets with salt and pepper, or your desired seasonings. You can also try a dry brine by seasoning the chicken and then refrigerating it uncovered on a rack for 1-2 hours. This helps reduce surface moisture and intensifies the flavour.
Before breading, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. This step is important as it helps the flour and breading stick to the meat. Now you are ready to set up your breading station. Arrange three shallow dishes or plates in a line: one with flour, the next with beaten eggs, and the last with breadcrumbs. You can season the flour and breadcrumbs with additional ingredients like garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, cheese, and more salt and pepper if desired.
Now you are ready to bread the chicken cutlets! Take a cutlet and dip it first in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then, transfer it to the egg dish, ensuring it is coated lightly. Finally, move the cutlet to the breadcrumbs and press it into the coating, turning it over to coat both sides. Repeat this process with the remaining cutlets.
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Set up a dredging station
First, add flour to the first bowl. You can season the flour with salt and pepper and mix to combine. You can also dredge the chicken in corn starch rather than flour. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before dredging to absorb moisture.
Next, beat eggs in the second bowl. You can add a pinch of salt and pepper and water to the eggs and whisk until combined. You can also dip the chicken in buttermilk or milk instead of eggs.
Finally, add breadcrumbs to the third bowl. You can use plain, panko, or homemade breadcrumbs. Season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, and cheese, and mix it together.
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Coat the chicken in flour
To start breading chicken cutlets, you'll need to set up a dredging station. Place the chicken on the far left, then next to it, the flour, then the egg, and finally, the breadcrumbs. You can season the flour with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge a cutlet in flour with your left hand, shaking off any excess. You can also dip each breast into the flour and then shake off any excess. This step helps to absorb any moisture on the surface of the chicken, which would prevent the breading from sticking and create a mess in the hot oil.
Transfer the floured chicken to the egg mixture. Turn the cutlet to coat both sides, then lift and allow any excess egg to drip off. You can also run the chicken through the egg to coat it lightly and hold it over the bowl to let any excess egg fall back into it.
Now, the chicken should be coated in flour and egg and ready for breading!
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Dip the chicken in egg
To bread chicken cutlets, you'll need to dip the chicken in egg after coating it in flour and before covering it in breadcrumbs. This is a crucial step in the breading process, as it helps the outer layer of breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
Before dipping the chicken in egg, you should pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. You can also season the flour with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Then, dip the chicken in the egg mixture, ensuring both sides are coated. Hold the chicken over the bowl and let any excess egg drip off before transferring the chicken to the breadcrumbs.
The egg mixture itself can be made by whisking together eggs with cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper, and water. Adding grated cheese to the egg mixture will make the breading extra crispy and flavorful. You can also add a small amount of Parmesan cheese to the breading for extra flavor.
After dipping the chicken in the egg mixture, you can use your dry hand to pile breadcrumbs on top of the chicken before picking it up and turning it to ensure it is thoroughly coated.
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Coat the chicken in breadcrumbs
To coat chicken cutlets in breadcrumbs, you will need three separate dishes containing flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs. Some recipes suggest adding grated cheese to the egg mixture for extra crispiness and flavour. You should also season the breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and Italian seasoning.
Before coating the chicken in breadcrumbs, you should first dip the cutlet in flour, shaking off any excess, and then run it through the egg mixture, allowing any excess egg to drip off.
Next, transfer the chicken to the breadcrumbs. Be sure to press it down and turn it over so that it is thoroughly coated. You can use your left hand to scoop breadcrumbs on top of the chicken. Then, place the chicken on a plate and repeat with any remaining cutlets.
Let the breaded chicken sit for 15-30 minutes before frying to allow the final breading to absorb some of the wetness and adhere properly.
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Frequently asked questions
The best way to bread chicken cutlets is to first dredge the chicken in flour, then dip it in an egg mixture, and finally coat it in breadcrumbs.
Dredging chicken in flour helps absorb the moisture on the surface of the chicken, which would otherwise prevent the breading from sticking.
Panko breadcrumbs give the crispiest breading, but you can also use plain or homemade breadcrumbs.
It is recommended to let the breaded chicken cutlets sit for about 15 to 30 minutes before frying to allow the final breading to absorb some of the wetness and adhere properly.
Chicken cutlets can be fried in a skillet with clarified butter or frying oil. Heat the oil over high heat until shimmering and just shy of smoking, then gently lower the cutlets into the hot fat, laying them away from you to prevent splashing.
