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Extra crispy, tender and juicy, Easy Parmesan Crispy Chicken Cutlets is quick and simple. Coated in a mixture of herbs, spices and lots of parmesan cheese, this chicken dinner is a family favorite that can be adapted sooo many different ways!
When I was teaching myself how to cook in my early 20’s I was always searching for the easiest thing I could find to morph into something else. Like a base of sorts. Something that I knew I could make perfectly every single time without breaking a sweat and then turning it into like 47 different recipes. I was broke, pretty much, all the time and had to make my food stretch quite a long while. So I would buy chicken breasts in bulk because they were individually wrapped making it easier to just pull out one or two without committing to a bunch of chicken all at once.
I decided I wanted to make one of those chicken patty sandwiches that they used to serve in elementary school and already had chicken, I thought I’d take a stab at making my own from scratch. You can cut them in half or pound them thin (which will make the surface area much larger), it’s entirely up to you. But either way, the thinner cutlets definitely cook more quickly and evenly.
It occurred to me that cheese was the missing piece of this crispy chicken and so I tossed it right into the breadcrumbs. And I added another step to the dredge, flour, but spiced up with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Milk is also seasoned with a dash of garlic powder, salt and pepper. Seasoning every step of the dredge took the chicken from bland to insanely, addictingly, mouthwatering.
Fry them in a little bit of oil until golden brown and cooked through. Absolute perfection and so easy, that I now make big batches (keeping them warm in the oven until I’m done frying) for parties or entertaining, or to make this crispy Italian Chicken Cutlet Sandwich.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the most budget friendly but if you want to buy chicken breast tenderloins that will save you time when making them.
- Flour – The breading is made with all purpose flour seasoned with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper.
- Milk – Low fat milk is my go-to for the second dredge but can be substituted with another form of dairy like half and half or a dairy alternative like coconut milk.
- Bread Crumbs – We use Panko bread crumbs for their light, crispy texture. Regular bread crumbs can be more dense but can be substituted if that’s what you have on hand.
- Cheese – The secret ingredient is parmesan cheese making it extra flavorful and crispy.
- Olive oil – We love to fry the chicken cutlets in olive oil for the added flavor but another neutral oil will work well. Try avocado oil, grapeseed oil or canola oil.
For the full recipe list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Chicken Cutlets
This easy Parmesan Crusted Chicken recipe comes together quickly and is fairly fool-proof if you follow these key steps.
- Either pound your chicken until 1/4 inch thickness with a meat mallet or cut in half lengthwise for even thickness to reduce the cooking time and ensure your chicken cooks evenly.
- Create a dredging station with three separate shallow bowls filled with seasoned flour, seasoned milk and parmesan panko breadcrumbs.
- Dredge a piece of chicken in the flour mixture and shake to remove the excess. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Give the chicken a quick dip in the milk mixture to coat and then in the panko mixture pressing down to help the breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and place the breaded chicken in the hot oil to cook.
- Working in batches, cook the chicken until crispy and golden, approximately 4-5 minutes, then flip to continue cooking on the other side. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve immediately.
Tips for Breading Chicken Cutlets
The sequence of dredging chicken is important to the success of this recipe. To ensure crispy, perfect juicy chicken cutlets be sure to dredge your chicken cutlets first in flour, then milk or egg and then panko breadcrumbs before frying in the pan.
How to Dredge Chicken
To avoid the dreaded bare chicken where the breading just slides right off (I’ve been there and it’s not pretty), be sure to follow these tips to avoid naked chicken cutlets.
- Pat your chicken dry with a paper towel. Excess moisture on the chicken breast will keep the flour from adhering to the surface of the chicken and will cause the whole coating to slide off.
- Be extra diligent in shaking off excess flour. Too much flour will keep the milk (or egg) mixture from sticking to the chicken which will cause the breadcrumb coating to fall off, as well. Shake, shake, shake.
- Don’t be skimpy on the breadcrumb coating and be sure to press down to help it stick to the chicken. Also, make sure to coat the entire surface of the chicken thoroughly.
- Don’t play with your food….once you place that chicken in the frying pan, leave it alone. Let the breading have a chance to form a crispy crust and it will release itself from the pan. If you try to flip your chicken too soon, you’ll definitely lose that beautiful breading.
How to Reheat Chicken Cutlets
If you’re like me, you’ll want to make a big batch of these easy Parmesan Crusted Chicken for your weekly meal prep. It’s easy to reheat your chicken cutlets in the oven when you’re ready to eat. You can double the recipe to feed a lot of people for parties, too.
- Allow your chicken to come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and arrange the chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until it has crisped up again.
- Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
It’s my base for this super fab Chicken Parmesan topped with tomato sauce with a blanket of cheese and when I’m feeling a little fluffy, I absolutely love them in this Chicken Milanese! These parmesan chicken cutlets are a great main dish all on their own with lemon wedges, as well.
- Mushroom Farro Risotto
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans with Goat Cheese, Shallots and Walnuts
- Our Best House Salad
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- The Very Best Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Tenders Recipe
- The Very Best Crispy Baked Chicken Wings Recipe
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
If you’re a veal or pork fan, be sure to try this easy Wiener schnitzel!
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Crispy Chicken Cutlet Recipe
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half horizontally
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups low fat milk
- 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl or baking dish, whisk together the flour, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, Italian seasoning, 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/4 tablespoon pepper to combine. Set aside.
- In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the milk with the remaining garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a third shallow bowl, whisk together the bread crumbs and cheese to combine. Set aside.
- Dredge 1 chicken breast half in the flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Dredge the chicken in the milk and then the breadcrumb mixture pressing the breadcrumbs into the surface of the chicken to help it stick. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until shimmering.
- Add the chicken to the skillet being sure not to crowd the pan. You may need to do it in batches of two chicken breast halves at a time.
- Cook the chicken until crispy and golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes. When the chicken releases easily from the pan and is golden, flip it over and continue cooking on the other side until crispy.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately or use in your favorite crispy chicken recipe.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loved this recipe! Quick, easy, and seems fancier than the effort. My only advice would be to add more garlic and adjust the Italian seasoning too taste.
Good tips! Thank you for your comment!
So. Good!! Love using the Panko instead of regular breadcrumb!
It definitely makes it lighter tasting!
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Parmesan Chicken Cutlet – my first time cooking this recipe while my wife is recovering from Covid – I absolutely loved the recipe and your detailed directions. No Panco bread crumbs so I pulverized seasoned salad croutons and they worked fine. Will be a regular staple at camp from now on! I will also try out some of your other recipes after this success!
I hope your wife is on the mend and I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of our favorites!