My family absolutely loves these chicken cutlets! Coated with Italian breadcrumbs and pan-fried until golden and crispy, these chicken cutlets are one of our very favorite chicken recipes!
These Chicken Cutlets are so crispy and delicious!
Say hello to the meal we keep making again and again: Chicken Cutlets! We just can’t get enough of these. Cutlets are thin-sliced chicken breasts, so they cook quickly in a hot skillet, making them perfect for weeknight dinners or a quick lunch. I dredge these in egg and Italian seasoned bread crumbs and then cook them in olive oil until they’re beautifully golden and crispy. Seriously, we just can’t get over that delicious crunch when we take a bite!
I love that this is a meal my whole family enjoys, even my youngest who is just now cautiously starting to eat a little bit of chicken and fish after refusing them for years. I’ve served these chicken cutlets in so many ways, including over pasta, in a salad, and with Roasted Vegetables and slices of our favorite Oatmeal Bread. I think you’ll love them!
For more easy chicken recipes, try my Chicken Parmesan, Baked Chicken Thighs and Chicken Piccata.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need for this chicken cutlets recipe. Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
- Chicken Cutlets: Some grocery stores sell chicken cutlets (I find them at the meat counter at Whole Foods) or thin-sliced chicken breasts. You can also make them yourself by slicing boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally.
- Italian Breadcrumbs: The seasoned breadcrumbs give the chicken lots of flavor.
- Italian Seasoning & Garlic Powder: I like to boost the flavor of the seasoned bread crumbs even more by mixing in some Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
- Eggs: Coating the chicken with egg helps the bread crumb coating to stick.
- Olive Oil: For pan-frying the chicken.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Cutlets
I start by prepping the ingredients for the breading. For this you’ll need two wide, shallow dishes, like pie plates or shallow bowls. In one you’ll beat together the eggs. In the other stir together the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
Dredge chicken. Coat both sides of each chicken cutlet first with the egg and then with the seasoned bread crumbs.
Pan-fry chicken cutlets. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. (I heat the oil before I start dredging the chicken so that I can immediately put the breaded chicken pieces in the hot pan.) Cook for 4-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.
That’s it! Serve the crispy chicken right away, since the coating will soften up over time. If you need to cook the chicken pieces in batches to feed a large family, you can keep the earlier batches warm in a 200° F oven. Put the cooked cutlets on a wire rack set on top of a rimmed baking sheet so that all sides will stay crispy in the oven.
What to Serve with Chicken Cutlets
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve these chicken cutlets:
- With roasted veggies. I often do a mix of Roasted Broccoli and Roasted Carrots.
- With a salad. I love to slice them and add them to a Caesar Salad (my recipe is coming soon!).
- With pasta and Marinara Sauce.
- In a crispy chicken sandwich. You can get creative here! Try it with arugula or spinach, roasted red peppers and your favorite spread, or on a baguette or Brioche Bun with marinara and melty provolone cheese.
Crispy Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 chicken cutlets*, about 1 pound total
Instructions
- In a wide, shallow dish (such as a pie plate), stir together the Italian bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Crack the eggs into a second wide, shallow dish and beat them together with a fork.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot.
- Coat both sides of each chicken cutlet first with the egg and then with the seasoned bread crumbs; place in the hot skillet.
- Cook for 4-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Chicken is done when the center of each piece registers 165°F on an instant read thermometer. Serve immediately while the chicken is crispy; the breading will soften as it cools. (If you need to cook the chicken in batches, you can keep the cooked cutlets warm by placing them on a wire rack set atop a rimmed baking sheet in a 200° F oven.)
Notes
- Chicken cutlets are boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been sliced in half to make two thin chicken cutlets. Some stores sell chicken cutlets or thin-sliced chicken breasts, or you can slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts horizontally to make them yourself. If the chicken isn’t thin enough after slicing, you can pound it to thin it out further.
