The BEST Crispy Breaded Chicken Cutlets

sliced chicken cutlets on a cooling rack

The BEST Crispy Breaded Chicken Cutlets

These crispy chicken cutlets are thinly pounded chicken breasts coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs and pan-fried until deeply golden and crisp. They’re cooked quickly in a hot skillet, where the exterior turns crackly and browned while the inside stays juicy and tender, no soggy breading in sight! This crispy chicken cutlets recipe is easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for company. We like to serve them with mashed potatoes when we're craving full comfort-food mode, or with our crispy chicken salad for a restaurant-worthy lunch or dinner.

No ratings yet

Print Pin Save

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 12

Total Time: 27

Servings: 6

Calories: 285kcal

Ingredients

3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.75 lbs)
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil (plus more, if needed)
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more, if needed)
¾ cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
Flaky sea salt (for finishing)
Fresh herbs and lemon wedges (for serving, if desired)

Instructions

On a cutting board, use a sharp knife to slice each chicken breast lengthwise, so they’re half as thick. Spread cutlets out, then top with a piece of parchment paper. Use a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin to pound the cutlets to an even thickness.
In a small bowl, combine the Kosher salt, parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper. Pat the chicken dry, then brush both sides with some of the olive oil. Use your fingers to sprinkle the seasoning evenly on both sides of the chicken.
Prep three shallow bowls for dipping: one with the flour, one with the eggs, whisked well, and one with the panko.
Dip each chicken cutlet in the flour, coating both sides and shaking off any excess. Then, coat with the egg on both sides. Finally, press each side into the panko crumbs. You can move the chicken back to the cutting board while you dredge the remaining cutlets.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place a cooling rack over a baking sheet.
Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon each of olive oil and vegetable oil to the pan. Heat until it is shimmering, but not smoking, about 375 degrees. Add several chicken cutlets to the pan, without crowding. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip, and cook another 2 minutes. The chicken should register at least 160 degrees. Remove the chicken to the cooling rack and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding additional oil as needed.
Sprinkle the finished chicken with flaky salt and sliced fresh herbs, if desired, then serve.

Notes

Keeping the heat at the right temperature is more art than science. I usually find I need to turn the heat down a bit after the first batch.
If your oil starts to smoke, remove the pan from heat for a minute to cool down, then continue.
A combination of olive oil and vegetable oil helps keep the oil from burning. If you’d like, you can use another neutral oil, like avocado oil.
Cook the cutlets in two batches to avoid over crowding the pan and ensure they get crispy.
If the majority of the oil is soaked up by the first batch of cutlets, make sure to add another coating before the second batch.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword breaded chicken cutlets, crispy chicken cutlets

Nutrition