How to Make Chicken Cutlets

Chicken cutlets are thinly sliced, boneless cuts of chicken breast that are faster to cook through than a whole breast. You can use them in dishes like chicken marsala, schnitzel, or chicken parmesan. Next time you decide to cook chicken cutlets for dinner, consider making your own from scratch instead of using the pre-made, frozen variety. After you cut and flatten the breasts, coat them in a flavorful breading and cook them in the frying pan or oven.

Ingredients

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces (170 g) each
2/3 cup (60 g) fine dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup (30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (5 g) fresh chopped parsley
1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
1/8 tsp (.3 g) ground black pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk
1/2 cup (64 g) flour
2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 59 ml) cooking oil, for frying

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Creating the Cutlets

1
Hold the chicken on your cutting board. Place your non-dominant hand flat on top of 1 chicken breast. Hold a sharp knife with a smooth blade in your dominant hand, keeping the blade parallel to the cutting board.^{[1]
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- To make the chicken easier to slice, start out with chicken that is mostly thawed but still partially frozen in the center. Fully thawed chicken can also be used, but it might be more difficult to slice.
Warning: Always wash your hands, utensils, and work surfaces thoroughly with warm water and soap before and after working with raw chicken. Don’t rinse the chicken, though—doing so will only spread germs around your kitchen!^{[2]
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Trustworthy Source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
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2
Slice the chicken breast horizontally. Make an even horizontal slice through the chicken, starting from the thick end and working your way toward the thin end.^{[3]
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- A sharp chef’s knife, boning knife, or fillet knife will work well for making these cuts.
- The cutlets should each be about ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick.
- Not every slice needs to run the entire length of the chicken breast, but each slice should have the same thickness.
- Repeat this procedure for all 4 chicken breasts.
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3
Sandwich the cutlets between 2 layers of plastic wrap. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap on your cutting board, then set one of the cutlets on top of it. Spread out a second piece of plastic wrap on top of the cutlet and pull it tight to get rid of any wrinkles.^{[4]
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- If you find plastic wrap too flimsy to work with, cut a 1 US gal (3.8 L)-sized zip top plastic bag into 2 pieces and use those instead. You can also use wax or parchment paper.
4
Pound the chicken flat with a meat tenderizer. Use the flat end of a meat tenderizer or the bottom side of a heavy skillet to gently pound the meat flat. Use slow, steady movements so that you don’t poke holes in the plastic or the chicken. Try to make the chicken all one even thickness.^{[5]
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- You can also use a rolling pin to flatten out the chicken.
- Continue pounding the chicken until each cutlet is about ¹⁄₃ inch (0.85 cm) thick.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Coating the Cutlets

1
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to stir together these 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.
- For best results, use a bowl with shallow sides. Doing so will make it easier for you to dip the chicken cutlets into the mixture later.
- For a simplified version, you could use 1 cup (90 g) of seasoned breadcrumbs instead of the unseasoned breadcrumbs, parmesan, and parsley.
- If you’re using dried parsley instead of fresh, use 2 tsp (1 g) instead of the full 1/4 cup (5 g).^{[6]
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2
Beat together the egg and the milk. In a separate bowl, use a fork or whisk to beat together the egg and milk. Beat the egg separately before you add the milk in order to make them easier to mix together.
- Use a shallow bowl or pie plate.
3
Spread the flour onto a plate. Pour the flour onto a wide plate with a short lip. Lightly shake the plate from side to side to create an even layer of flour.
4
Dip the cutlets in all 3 stations. Coat each cutlet in flour, then the egg mixture, and then the crumb mixture.
- Arrange your dishes in assembly-line fashion so that it is easier to transfer each cutlet from one dish to the next.
- You can use your fingers to move the cutlets from dish to dish, but use a fork if you want to avoid making your hands messy.
- After dredging both sides of the cutlet in flour, gently tap the cutlet against the side of the plate to knock off excess.
- Dunk the cutlets in the egg mixture, making sure that both sides are well coated. Hold the cutlet above the bowl so that excess egg can drip off.
- Coat both sides of the cutlet with the bread crumb mixture. Place the cutlet in the dish of crumbs so that the bottom gets coated. To coat the top, scoop additional mix over the cutlets and press it into the surface of the chicken.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Cooking the Cutlets by Baking

1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Prepare a shallow, rimmed baking sheet by greasing it with butter or cooking spray.
- You could also line the baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil instead of greasing it.
2
Arrange the cutlets on the baking sheet. Place the breaded cutlets on the baking sheet in a single layer. If you are unable to fit all the cutlets on a single baking sheet, use multiple baking sheets. Do not arrange the chicken in multiple layers.
- Do not cover the baking sheet.
3
Roast the cutlets for 15 to 25 minutes. Put the chicken in the oven and cook them until they are firm to the touch. To check for doneness, cut into the middle of the thickest cutlet with a thin-bladed knife. The chicken is done if there is no pink inside.
- The total baking time will vary depending on how thick the cutlets are and whether they were fully thawed before you cooked them.
4
Serve the cutlets warm. Transfer the chicken cutlets onto serving plates. If desired, serve them with a wedge of lemon on the side.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Cooking the Cutlets by Frying

1
Heat oil in a large skillet. Pour enough cooking oil into the skillet to coat the bottom and heat it over medium-high heat.
- Use olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Heat the oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Check the temperature of the oil by carefully sprinkling a few drops of water into the pan. If the water sizzles immediately upon contact, the oil is hot enough.
2
Add the cutlets and fry them until they’re done. Cook the chicken for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the outside of each cutlet is browned. Flip the chicken in the middle of the cooking process so that both sides get browned.
- Test the chicken for doneness by making a small cut with a thin-bladed knife in the center of the thickest cutlet. The chicken is done when no pink remains.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. If you cannot fit all the cutlets into a single pan, cook them in batches, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
3
Serve the cutlets warm. Transfer the cooked cutlets to serving plates. Serve them with your choice of sauce, such as a honey mustard sauce or sweet and sour sauce.

Community Q&A

Question

I don't have any eggs on hand, is there something else I can use so the breadcrumbs stay on the chicken?

Community Answer

A cornstarch and water solution helps to bind it together, and provides a smooth, soft, and wet surface for the breadcrumbs to stick on.
Question

Do I have to switch out the oil to fresh oil each time? I've read "add more as needed," but sometimes the oil gets funky.

Community Answer

If it gets funky, then switch out the oil.

Warnings

Food safety experts no longer recommend rinsing raw chicken. It’s not an effective way to get rid of bacteria or other contaminants, and can spread dangerous germs around your work area.^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
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