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This isn’t just dinner, it’s a warm hug from my childhood. My mom’s Italian Chicken Cutlets recipe will knock your socks off. If you want to know how to make impossibly crispy, golden and tender chicken cutlets, then keep on reading my friend.
Table of Contents
🍗 Why You’ll Love Italian Chicken Cutlets
Easy to prepare: with a simple ingredient list, these Italian chicken cutlets are so easy to make.
Ready in 30 minutes: from beginning to end, this recipe won’t take you longer than 30 minutes.
Pairs well with just about anything: pasta, rice, potatoes or a simple house salad, these cutlets pair perfectly with a variety of side dishes.
🗒 Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Italian Chicken Cutlets
Peanut oil: has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying. Meaning, it can reach high temperatures without burning the cutlets.
Chicken breasts: thinly sliced into thin cutlets.
Eggs: acts as a glue for the breadcrumbs to adhere to.
Seasoned Italian breadcrumbs: will provide the crispy coating, and golden colour.
Parmigiano-reggiano: adds a delicious saltiness to the chicken, and helps achieve a crispy texture when paired with the breadcrumbs.
Fresh Italian parsley: adds a delicious freshness.
Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper: used to add flavour.
👀 How To Make This Italian Chicken Cutlets Recipe
- Prepare the chicken: pat to dry and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Prepare the stations: whisk together the eggs, and in a separate bowl, prepare the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Prepare the chicken: dredge the chicken into the egg bath, then press directly into the breadcrumbs.
- Fry: on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
👉🏻 Tips to achieve the best Italian chicken cutlets
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: ensure theres enough space between each cutlet. Overcrowding can cause the oil temperature to drop which will result in soggy cutlets.
- Cool on a wire rack: after frying, allow the chicken cutlets to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes. Allowing them to cool will help them stay crispy rather than soaking up the excess oil.
- Finish with salt: once you’ve transfered the cutlets onto a wire rack, finish them with a sprinkle of salt.
🗒️ Variations & Substitutions
Oils that have a high a high smoke point that can be used are: peanut oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.
🤝 Pairs Well With
- Simple House Salad
- Cacio E Pepe Orzo
- The Best Caesar Salad You’ll Ever Have
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Roasted Pepper Salad
🤔 FAQ’s
Firstly, pound the chicken thin and pat to dry. Next, ensure you press the cutlets into the breadcrumb mixture well. Finally, allow the cutlets to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.
The general rule is you want to use oils that have a high smoke point. For instance: peanut oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.
Firstly, achieving the right oil temperature for cutlets is important. To begin with, use a thermometer and once the oil reaches about 350°F, you can begin to fry. Alternatively, add the back of a wooden spoon directly into the oil, and if it begins to boil, it’s ready to fry.
Yes, you can! To begin with, preheat your oven to 400°F. Following that, prepare your breaded cutlets and add to a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Afterwards, allow the cutlets to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes.
🍴 Leftovers? Lucky you.
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat simply microwave for 30-45 seconds or bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until warm throughout.
👩🏻🍳 Hungry For More?
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Yogurt Marinated Chicken
- Caramelized Onion Pasta
- Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry
- Best Chicken Marinade
💌 Let’s Stay Connected
Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest! If you do make this recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.
Italian Chicken Cutlets
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 1 wire rack
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 chicken breasts, bonesless, skinless
- 1-2 cups peanut oil, see notes below
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
Egg mixture:
- 2 eggs, whisked
- pinch of salt
Breadcrumb mixture:
- 1 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
- 1½ tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to delicately remove any moisture from the chicken breasts.Next, cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally.Place the chicken in-between 2 pieces of parchment paper and pound to approximately ¼"-½" thickness with the flat side of the meat tenderizer.
- Lightly season your chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
- To a shallow medium size bowl add the eggs and a pinch of salt, and whisk to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
- To a separate shallow medium size bowl add all of the breadcrumb ingredients and gently toss to combine.
- Add one piece of chicken at a time to the egg mixture, coat on both sides and let the excess drip off.
- Add the chicken to the breadcrumbs and firmly press down to coat the chicken on both sides.Repeat until all chicken has been coated.
- To a large shallow frying pan, add the peanut oil and set to medium/high heat.Depending on the size of pan you use will determine how much oil you will need. Aim for the oil to be about ½-1" deep.Sammy's Tip: you'll know the oil is hot enough to fry if you add the tip of a wooden spoon into the oil and it begins to form small bubbles.
- Add the chicken breasts to the hot oil, working in batches if you need. Be sure to not overcrowd the pan.Fry on each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- Transfer to a wire rack, finish with a sprinkle of salt and allow to rest for a couple minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The amount of oil you use will depend on the size of your pan. Aim for the oil to be about ½ to 1 inch deep. You want the cutlets to be partially submerged when frying.
- The general rule is you want to use oils that have a high a high smoke point. For instance: peanut oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil will all work.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love all your recipes
I’ve made plenty of breaded chicken breasts over my years, but these are a step above! My family loved these and so did I. Something brought these next level despite being so simple. You want to try these. This will definitely be on repeat. Thank you!
Hi Heather! Thank you so much for this review! So happy you loved them!
Really yummy!
Hi Irina, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am so happy you enjoyed the chicken cutlets!
Well, you know how much I hate cooking, Sammy! But I trust you when you say this is one of your family’s favourite dishes, so made it for my grandson D’Andre’s grad celebration at our house yesterday. I followed your easy instructions and my granddaughter helped me with cooking it. It was a hit and will now probably be one of our family’s new fave chicken recipes. No leftovers in sight! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Cherry! I loved the picture, and am so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Sure miss you, xo.
They are perfection!
This is now my go-to recipe for chicken cutlets! So good and great for lunch the next day- If I could give it 10 stars I would!
Hi Rachel! That makes me SO happy! Yay! Thanks for the review 🙂 – Sammy
Best cutlets I’ve ever had! Easy recipe to follow. Whole family enjoyed tonight. Thanks!
Hi Lauren! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe! – Sammy
This recipe was delicious and very rewarding. I feel like this is a building block for many delicious meals, Parmesan, piccata, Marsala, yum. The coating stayed crisp thanks to the advice to let cutlets cool on a wire rack. My husband asked if this could be added to our rotation. I love that it makes a sandwich or salad addition day. Thank-you !
I Am not able to find the breadcrumbs mixture in my country :’(
What is the best way to re-heat? Can they be frozen?
I usually just put them in a 375 degree oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until heated through-out. We don’t typically freeze them as the texture would change once frozen.