Chicken Cutlets

Article by Emily Saladino

Every cook needs a back-pocket recipe for chicken cutlets, and this is the one the Food Network Kitchen swears by. Whether you’re craving a crispy chicken sandwich or searching for an easy dinner idea, these breaded chicken cutlets are guaranteed to please even the pickiest eaters.

What Are Chicken Cutlets?

A chicken cutlet is a chicken breast that is either pounded with a mallet or cut in half horizontally to make a uniformly thin, flat shape. They’re tender and cook quickly and evenly, and are often pan-fried, seared or grilled. The difference between chicken cutlets and chicken tenderloins is the cut: chicken cutlets are whole breasts, whereas tenderloins are long, thin muscles located beneath chicken breasts.

How to Make Chicken Cutlets Like a Pro

Pound the chicken first. Before breading, place the chicken breasts on a clean cutting board and use a mallet, rolling pin or heavy-bottomed pan to pound them to uniform thickness. Because chicken breasts are naturally curved, this step is crucial to making juicy cutlets that cook quickly and evenly.

Season the breading for chicken breasts. The breadcrumb mixture provides a lot of texture and flavor in this chicken cutlets recipe. We like the combination of thyme and lemon zest for its versatility, but you can also customize by swapping the thyme for a teaspoon of dried oregano, adding a pinch of red pepper flakes or combining minced fresh cilantro and lime zest.

Don’t crowd the pan. Frying two cutlets at a time keeps the oil hot, resulting in crispy—not soggy—breaded chicken.

Use the best fry oil for chicken. Corn oil, blended vegetable oil or plant oils like canola or sunflower are the best oils for frying. Olive oil is not ideal for pan-frying chicken breasts because its lower smoke point means it burns easily. If you prefer to use olive oil to make this recipe, mix it with an equal amount of corn or vegetable oil.

What to Serve with Chicken Cutlets

Pair Italian chicken cutlets with broccoli rabe and easy Caesar potato salad. Make chicken cutlet sandwiches with fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers and balsamic vinegar; or top with tomato and mozzarella to make chicken parm heroes. Slice the crispy chicken into strips and toss them with chopped romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, defrosted corn kernels and a simple vinaigrette for a main-course salad.

How to Store Chicken Cutlets

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. They’re delicious cold, hot or at room temperature. To reheat them, place on a wire rack in a baking sheet in an oven heated to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Other Crispy Chicken Recipes to Try

These air fryer chicken tenderloins are marinated in a buttermilk mixture then coated in panko. Pecorino Romano and panko create a flavorful crust on this breaded chicken. You can also use crushed cereal, pretzels or chips to make crispy chicken cutlets. Our chicken schnitzel recipe has the same crunchy coating as the porky original, plus a tangy mustard dipping sauce.