Caesar Chicken Cutlets

A plate of golden-brown Chicken Cutlets, garnished with grated cheese, fresh cilantro, and lemon wedges, set on a light gray surface—an inviting Chicken Cutlets Recipe perfect for any meal.

5 from 1 vote

Caesar Chicken Cutlets are coated in homemade Caesar dressing, breaded, and then fried, air-fried, or baked until golden and crisp.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Caesar Chicken Cutlets, chicken cutlets, Chicken Cutlets Recipe

Servings: servings

Equipment

1 Large frying pan
1 cooling rack

Ingredients

Chicken

3/4 cup peanut oil see notes below
4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, sliced in half to make 8 total
salt and pepper to taste

Caesar Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp anchovy paste
1 + 1/4 tsp worcestershire
4 garlic cloves minced
1/2 lemon juiced
1 tsp lemon zest
1 cup parmigiano-reggiano finely grated
1/4 tsp black pepper

Breadcrumbs

2-2½ cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

Instructions

Begin by preparing your chicken breasts. Slice them in half horizontally to create thin cutlets. Place each cutlet between two pieces of parchment paper, and using a meat mallet, pound them thin. You want these cutlets nice and thin so they cook quickly.
Season both sides of the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then set aside while you prepare the Caesar dressing.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, anchovy paste, worcestershire, minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, parmigiano reggiano, and black pepper. Whisk well, then set aside.
On a large plate, spread about 2 cups of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs. You may need more depending on the chicken size.
Take each chicken cutlet, dip it into the Caesar dressing, ensuring it’s fully coated but not dripping excessively.
Place the coated cutlet on one side of the breadcrumb plate. Use your other hand to sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top, then flip the cutlet so it’s evenly coated. Repeat for all cutlets. Shake off any excess breadcrumbs and set aside.
In a large frying pan, over medium-high heat, add about ¾ cup of oil (adjust based on pan size). You want to shallow fry, not submerge the chicken.
Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Sammy's tip when frying cutlets: If a lot of brown bits start forming, you can carefully pour the oil through a fine mesh sieve to remove them. Then return the strained oil (or add a bit of fresh oil) and continue frying.
Once the oil shimmers, test by seeing if bubbles form around a wooden spoon. Then, fry the chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden, crisp, and cooked through.
Transfer each cooked cutlet to a wire rack to cool slightly. Repeat frying with remaining cutlets.
Other Cooking Options: To bake in the oven, preheat your oven to 400°F.
Prepare a large baking tray lined with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the cutlets in a single layer on the tray. Bake for 13 - 18 minutes or until cooked through. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
To air fry, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Working in batches, add 2 to 4 cutlets (depending on your air fryer’s size) in a single layer. Cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
Transfer to a serving plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.

Notes

You’ll want to shallow fry the chicken thighs. Add enough oil to generously coat the pan, plus a bit extra, but the chicken thighs should not be fully submerged in oil.
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