These chicken cutlets are just like grandma used to make! So simple to make and SO delicious, you'll never need another cutlet recipe again. Plus, it's ready in just 35 minutes!
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Why You'll Love Italian Chicken Cutlets:
I think everyone has their own unique recipe for thin chicken cutlets. Amiright? Maybe it's just that everyone I grew up around had their own variation of this popular and tasty dish. I mean, it's breaded chicken — what's not to like? They're pan-fried until golden in breadcrumbs and Romano cheese and full of awesome flavor! This is my version of my Grandma Rosie's thin chicken cutlets.
My husband requests this dish quite a bit. It's a simple dinner full of delicious flavor and doesn't require too much work, so it's totally doable for a weeknight dinner. The best part is, they are completely addictive. Seriously, you're not going to want to stop eating these crispy chicken cutlets once you start! My grandma's recipe is:
- Perfectly crispy
- Versatile — enjoy as a main dish or in a sandwich
- Super easy to make
- Impressive (and delicious) enough to serve to guests
- Minimal ingredients
- An Italian-American classic!
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Chicken Breasts- Rosie always made these with breast meat and so I do too. Make sure to pound them thin after cutting them into smaller slices.
- Olive Oil- For frying. Is it really an Italian recipe without olive oil? If you don't have any... run out to the store to grab some. Otherwise, whatever oil you usually use for pan-frying will work (but don't tell grandma).
- Flour- Needed to help the breading stick the cutlets before you fry them! I use simple all-purpose.
- Mayonnaise- In my family, we use mayonnaise instead of egg to add moisture and help the breadcrumbs stick. You can use whatever you prefer, but I have to say mayo keeps the chicken even juicier.
- Seasoned Breadcrumbs- Italian seasoned breadcrumbs are my go-to for breading for chicken cutlets, but seasoned panko will give you more crunchy chicken cutlets.
- Romano or Parmesan Cheese- Goes directly in with the breadcrumbs to give the cutlets excellent flavor! It's one of my grandma's secrets that I'm now sharing with all of you.
- White Wine- Optional, but we usually add a small splash of wine before baking for extra flavor.
How To Cook Chicken Cutlets
Step 1- Recipe prep.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then set up your dredging station. Cut the chicken breast into smaller pieces across the grain and then pound them thin. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2- Dip each cutlet in flour.
Cover each piece of chicken in flour and gently tap off the excess.
Step 3- Cover each cutlet in mayonnaise.
Next place each cutlet in mayonnaise. Use your fingers to lightly rub a thin coating evenly over each cutlet.
Step 4- Cover each cutlet in bread crumbs.
Now place each cutlet in the mixture of bread crumbs and Romano cheese. turn it to coat evenly, gently pressing the breadcrumbs into each cutlet before gently tapping off the excess.
Step 5- Fry the cutlets.
Heat a large pan with a couple tablespoons of oil until the oil shimmers. Place the breaded chicken cutlets in a single layer the pan with the oil, being careful not to overload it. Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. You may need to add more oil as you go.
Step 4- Bake.
Transfer the fried cutlets to a baking dish and add a small splash of white wine. Bake for around 10 minutes, serve immediately, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken cutlets are usually made from chicken breast that has been pounded out thin, breaded, and then fried. Many people use them to make chicken Parmesan. I also love to use leftovers for sandwiches!
I wouldn't encourage you to only bake these. While they will still be tasty, they really do benefit from being fried in oil first.
The safe temperature for consuming poultry is 165 degrees. I like to pull them at 161 degrees and rest them for 5 minutes — they continue cooking during the rest time to reach 165 degrees.
I know it's a teeny bit more labor intensive, but the flavor cannot be beat! I like to use my fingers to rub on a thin layer of mayo before covering the cutlets in the breadcrumb mixture. If you’re in a super rush or don’t want to deal with the mayo, you can always beat a few eggs to use and they'll till be fabulous.
You can omit it entirely or sub in a splash of chicken broth.
This makes an excellent base recipe! From here you can take it in so many directions. You could make a really tasty lemon-cream pan sauce to serve over them. Or, turn them into chicken Parmesan with some marinara sauce and some mozzarella cheese. I've also cut them up and served them over pasta Pomodoro. They taste great on a salad too!
Tips For Making Chicken Breast Cutlets:
- Dredging- Before you get started, place the breading ingredients into shallow bowls and line them up in this order: flour, mayonnaise, and breadcrumbs. When dipping the chicken pieces, be sure to turn them to coat evenly. Remember, you'll need to use your fingers to evenly coat the chicken in the mayo.
- When breading the chicken, have one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients. This will make it go faster with less mess!
- Make sure you get your oil nice and hot before adding the cutlets to the pan. It should shimmer.
- Fry over medium-high heat. Don't be shy about adding more to the pan when you need it.
- When finished frying, your breaded chicken cutlets should be golden brown and cooked almost all the way through. That's why we finish them off in the oven.
- If you’re using the optional splash of wine (please do it! The alcohol totally cooks off, and the flavor is amazing!), make sure it’s really just a teeny splash because any more than that will make the bottoms soggy.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can cut and pound out your chicken breasts in advance to make these even quicker. Pound them between pieces of plastic wrap with a meat mallet for easier cleanup.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftover chicken cutlets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F until warm and crispy.
What To Serve With Chicken Cutlets
I personally like these on their own served alongside my roasted potatoes and peas with onions. Or, pair them with pasta and marinara for an Italian-American-inspired meal. Here are some other tasty sides to try:
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- French Onion Rice Pilaf
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
- Savory Sautéed Green Beans
Other Delicious Chicken Recipes To Try
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Chicken Cutlets Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup mayonnaise or 3 eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup Romano cheese (or parmesan cheese)
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts slices 1 inch wide slices and pounded thin
- 1 splash white wine (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the bread crumbs with the cheese and set aside.
- Place a couple tablespoons of oil into the pan and heat over medium to medium-high heat. Season cutlets with salt and pepper.
- Cover each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess so that it's lightly coated.
- Turn the chicken pieces over in mayonnaise or egg to coat evenly. If you're using mayonnaise, use your fingers to gently rub a thin, even layer on each side of the chicken.
- Cover each piece of chicken in the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing with your fingers. Tap off the excess.
- Place breaded cutlets into the hot oil in a single layer, working in batches so as not to overload the pan.
- Fry the chicken for a couple minutes on each side, turning when they're golden brown (manage the heat and the oil in the pan- adding more or less as needed).
- Once all the chicken is golden on each side, move them all into an oven-safe pan. Add a small splash of white wine over them (don't use too much or the bottom ones will get soggy).
- Place in the oven for around 10 minutes to finish cooking. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat.
Video
Notes
- Dredging- Before you get started, place the breading ingredients into shallow bowls and line them up in this order: flour, mayonnaise, and breadcrumbs. When dipping the chicken pieces, be sure to turn them to coat evenly. Remember, you'll need to use your fingers to evenly coat the chicken in the mayo.
- When breading the chicken, have one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients. This will make it go faster with less mess!
- Make sure you get your oil nice and hot before adding the cutlets to the pan. It should shimmer.
- Fry over medium-high heat. Don't be shy about adding more to the pan when you need it.
- When finished frying, your breaded chicken cutlets should be golden brown and cooked almost all the way through. That's why we finish them off in the oven.
- If you’re using the optional splash of wine (please do it! The alcohol totally cooks off, and the flavor is amazing!), make sure it’s really just a teeny splash because any more than that will make the bottoms soggy.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can cut and pound out your chicken breasts in advance to make these even quicker. Pound them between pieces of plastic wrap with a meat mallet for easier cleanup.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftover chicken cutlets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in the oven at 350 degrees F until warm and crispy.
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