Some nights I feel wildly inspired in the kitchen.
I want to braise something for six hours, build layers of flavor, maybe casually make fresh pasta like a person who has their life together.
Other nights? I just want to cook something.
Not frozen pizza. Not takeout. Not cereal for dinner (again). Just something real that feels like I tried — without needing a creative breakthrough or a 14-ingredient shopping list.
That’s where chicken cutlets come in.
These crispy, golden lifesavers hit our table at least once a week. Sometimes they turn into chicken Milanese with a bright salad piled on top. Sometimes they go full comfort mode and become chicken parmigiana. Sometimes they get sliced up and tossed onto pasta or tucked into a sandwich. And sometimes they’re just eaten straight off the cutting board while standing in the kitchen, because restraint is a myth.
Chicken cutlets are the ultimate kitchen safety net.
They’re fast. They’re flexible. They make you feel like a competent adult even when your brain is running on fumes.
Once you have this recipe in your back pocket, dinner stops feeling like a performance and starts feeling like a win.
2
cutlets, easily doubled10
minutes15
minutes25
minutesIngredients
1 chicken breast, butterflied and pounded thin
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
2 teaspoons water
Olive oil (enough for about 1/2-inch depth in pan)
2 tablespoons butter
Salt for finishing
Directions
- Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels and set aside.
- In one shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley, and garlic powder.
- In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and black pepper.
- In a third shallow dish, whisk together the egg and water until smooth.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the oil reaches about 350°F. The oil should shimmer and sizzle when tested with a breadcrumb.
- Dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg wash, allowing excess to drip off. Press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to coat thoroughly on both sides.
- Carefully place the cutlets into the hot oil. They should immediately sizzle. If they do not, remove the cutlet and allow the oil to heat further.
- Cook for 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 155–160°F.
- Transfer the cooked cutlets to a rack or paper-towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with salt.
- Allow the cutlets to rest for 5 minutes before serving. During this time, carryover cooking will gently raise the internal temperature, ensuring the chicken finishes cooking while remaining juicy.
Notes
- If cooking in batches, place finished cutlets on a rack set over a sheet tray in a 200°F oven to keep warm and crispy.