How to Bread Chicken Cutlets
Dredging and breading chicken cutlets allows them to sauté or fry up crispy and beautifully golden brown. A perfect simple dinner or springboard for other recipes.
Servings: 6 People
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken cutlets (sliced or pounded about 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup olive oil or vegetable oil (approximately; divided)
- Lemon wedges (to serve)
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (to serve)
Instructions
- Line a counter or plate with paper towels, and have a wire cooling rack at the ready.
- In a wide, shallow bowl, stir up the flour, salt, and pepper. Place the beaten eggs in another shallow bowl. Place the Panko in a third shallow bowl.
- Dredge each cutlet first in the flour mixture, then dip it into the beaten eggs, then press it into the Panko.
- Heat enough of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat to come up about 1/4-inch in the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken cutlets in batches without crowding them. Sauté for about 3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through. Remove, place briefly on the paper towels, then transfer to the wire rack.
- Continue to cook the chicken the same way, adding more oil as necessary and making sure it is hot before adding more of the breaded cutlets.
- Serve with the sauce of your choice or lemon wedges and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- The directions in the recipe are for pan-searing the cutlets, but you can also cook these in an air fryer ( about 7 minutes total) or bake them in the oven (about 8 minutes in a preheated 375-degree oven; cook them on a wire rack inserted into a rimmed sheet pan).
- You can add a couple of tablespoons of milk to the beaten eggs, which will thin them out a bit. You can also use buttermilk instead of the eggs.
- Use homemade breadcrumbs made with slightly stale bread.
- Use fine breadcrumbs, crushed cornflakes, or crushed saltines or other crackers instead of the Panko.
- For Italian-style meals, try Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs or Panko.
- To make gluten-free breaded chicken, use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs.
- Add other seasonings to the flour, such as paprika (smoked paprika or sweet), dried herbs (like Italian herbs, oregano, or thyme), or dried mustard.
- This dredging and breading technique works with all kinds of chicken parts, from boneless thighs to bone in pieces. The cooking time will vary slightly.
Nutrition
Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg