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    The Life Jolie » Main/Entree » Chicken Cutlets

    Chicken Cutlets

    Published: Feb 15, 2021 · Modified: Aug 31, 2022 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

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    A close up overhead image of chicken cutlets on a plate with brown parchment and a few sprigs of fresh parsley.

    These Chicken Cutlets are SO good, you'll never need another Chicken Cutlet recipe (isn't that always the case with recipes from Grandma?!)!

    A close up overhead image of chicken cutlets on a plate with brown parchment and a few sprigs of fresh parsley.

    Try these other delicious chicken recipes like Easy Grilled Chicken Thighs, Baked Chicken Tenders and Chicken and Rice Casserole.

    Chicken Cutlets

    This post contains Affiliate Links. Please see the disclaimer here.

    I think everyone has their own unique fried chicken cutlets recipes. Amiright? Maybe it's just that everyone I grew up around had their own variation of this popular and tasty dish. I mean, why not? It's breaded chicken, what's not to like? They're pan fried until golden in bread crumbs and Romano cheese and full of awesome flavor! This is my version of my Grandma Rosie's Chicken Cutlets recipe.

    J 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, these little guys are completely addictive. Seriously, you're not going to want to stop eating these Italian chicken cutlets once you start!

    A chicken cutlet cut in half revealing the cooked inside positioned on top of other chicken cutlets.

    Tips for how to make chicken cutlets

    • 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 clean up.
    • Place the breading ingredients into shallow bowls and dip the chicken pieces, turning to coat. You will need to use your fingers to evenly coat the chicken in the mayonnaise.
    • 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.
    • Fry over medium high heat being sure to manage the heat and add more olive oil if needed.
    • When finished frying they should be golden brown and cooked almost all the way through. They will finish in the oven.
    • If you’re using the optional splash of wine (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.

    An overhead image of a plate with brown parchment on it and chicken cutlets on top of that with some sprigs of fresh parsley and a blue checked towel on the left side of it.

    What is the difference between a chicken breast and a chicken cutlet?

    The chicken breast is the cut of chicken used and the chicken is the preparation of the chicken breast (in this case, cut smaller and pounded thin).

    Can I bake these?

    I wouldn't encourage you to make these as baked chicken cutlets. While they will still be tasty, they benefit from being fried in oil.

    How do you know when chicken cutlets are done?

    The safe temperature for consuming poultry is 165 degrees. I like to pull them at 161 degrees and rest them for 5 minutes- during the rest time they will continue cooking and reach 165 degrees.

    Do I have to use mayonnaise?

    The original way to make this breaded chicken recipe is to use mayonnaise as the wet part of the breading. It’s a teeny bit more labor intensive, but not terrible. And the flavor cannot be beat! I use my fingers to rub on a thin layer of the mayonnaise before covering them in the bread crumb 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.

    Is there a substitute for white wine?

    You can omit it entirely or sub in a splash of chicken broth.

    How can you use chicken cutlets?

    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. You could turn them into Chicken Parmesan with some Marinara Sauce and some mozzarella cheese. You can cut them up and serve them over Pasta Pomodoro. They also taste great on a salad. I personally like them best on their own served alongside my Roasted Potatoes and Peas with Onions.

    A Close up image zooming in on a chicken cutlet from overhead.

    Ingredients for breaded chicken cutlets

    • Olive oil
    • Flour
    • Kosher salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Mayonnaise
    • Seasoned bread crumbs
    • Romano or Parmesan cheese
    • Chicken breasts
    • White wine

    Ingredients to prep ahead:

    • Trim and pound chicken

    Helpful tools:

    1. Large saute pan
    2. Wooden spoon
    3. Chef's knife
    4. Cutting board
    5. Measuring cups
    6. Measuring spoons
    A square image of a chicken cutlet cut in half revealing the cooked inside positioned on top of other chicken cutlets.

    Chicken Cutlets

    Jessy Freimann
    These Chicken Cutlets are SO good, you'll never need another Chicken Cutlet recipe (isn't that always the case with recipes from Grandma?!)!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 Servings

    Ingredients
      

    • Olive oil
    • ¼ cup flour
    • Kosher salt, to taste
    • Ground black pepper, to taste
    • ½ cup mayonnaise (or 2 eggs, beat)
    • ¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
    • ¼ + ⅛ cup Romano cheese (or parmesan cheese)
    • 3 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded thin and cut into slices 1 inch wide slices
    • 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.
    • Cover each piece of chicken in flour (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 going the mayonnaise route, use your fingers.
    • Cover each piece of chicken in the breadcrumb mixture.
    • Once the chicken is fully coated in bread crumbs, shake off the excess and place them into the pan, 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.
    • Pour 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 10-15 minutes to finish cooking. Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat.

    Video

    Notes

    These last for around 4 days in the refrigerator.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Izabela says

      May 12, 2016 at 5:45 am

      This sounds like a great and easy recipe. I love chicken cutlets so I'm going to give it a go.
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        May 13, 2016 at 2:14 pm

        Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
        Reply
    2. Patricia Florentine says

      November 19, 2017 at 5:48 pm

      Sounds delicious. My husband won't eat the mayo can that step be avoided.? TrishFlorentine@aol.com @TrishFlorentine
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        November 19, 2017 at 8:49 pm

        -you can definitely substitute the mayo with a couple of eggs, beat them a little first (not a ton, just to mix). The mayo turns essentially turns into oils, so there's no trace of it once they're cooked. But my husband is super picky, so I understand what you have to contend with (although his kryptonite is mustard- he hates it SO much!).
        Reply
    3. Rij says

      February 14, 2018 at 10:14 pm

      And the Parmesan goes in the bread crumb mix ?
      Reply
      • Jessy says

        February 15, 2018 at 10:14 pm

        Yes- and it appears that step was missing in the recipe- I just fixed it. Thanks for the heads up and enjoy!
        Reply
    4. Amanda says

      October 06, 2018 at 9:28 pm

      Obviously you use chicken breast, but I wanted to let you know the chicken breast is not on your ingredients list
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        October 07, 2018 at 4:16 pm

        Yikes- thanks for the heads up- I'll fix that!
        Reply
    5. Kendra says

      September 18, 2020 at 10:26 am

      So I already know this is going to b scrumptious.... I had one wonder?haha do u think u could mix the white wine with the mayo before u coat the chicken cutlets and have the same turn out in terms of flavor?? I just may try that. Thanks for the solid recipe
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        October 27, 2020 at 11:02 pm

        Hi Kendra- I don't see why not- it won't be exactly the same but I bet it will still be delicious! Please let me know if you do!
        Reply

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