Crispy Chicken Cutlets

Easy Crispy Chicken Cutlets

There is just something about a crispy chicken cutlet that makes such a good dinner. The chicken is thin and tender, the outside gets golden and crispy, and a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end brightens up the whole thing.

But I have to tell you, my favorite part of making this chicken cutlet recipe might actually be the way I flattened the chicken. I recently saw someone use a tortilla press to make thin chicken cutlets and immediately knew I needed to try it. I ordered one specifically for this little kitchen hack, and it worked even better than I expected.

Instead of standing at the counter pounding chicken with a meat mallet, I lined the tortilla press with parchment paper, added a piece of chicken, pressed it down, and that was it. It was so easy, and I especially loved that every piece ended up approximately the same thickness. That means the chicken cooks quickly and evenly, which is exactly what you want when making pan fried chicken cutlets.

These breaded chicken cutlets are seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and garlic powder before getting dipped in egg and coated in a mixture of Italian breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. A quick trip into some hot avocado oil gives you a crispy, golden outside with tender chicken inside.

I served mine with my Famous Green Beans  for a simple dinner that gave us plenty of protein, vegetables, and enough carbs from the breading that I didn’t feel like we needed to add rice or another starch.

Why You’ll Love These Crispy Chicken Cutlets

This is one of those recipes that is simple enough for a weeknight but doesn’t feel boring. You only need a handful of basic ingredients, and once you get your breading station set up, the whole process moves pretty quickly.

I also love how versatile chicken cutlets are. Serve them as the main protein with a vegetable, slice them over a salad, turn them into a sandwich, or add marinara and mozzarella for an easy Chicken Parmesan.

And if you’ve ever wondered how to make thin chicken cutlets without destroying your kitchen with a meat mallet, you are going to love the tortilla press trick.

Ingredients for Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Avocado oil
• Fresh lemon

The Italian breadcrumbs and Parmesan give these Parmesan chicken cutlets plenty of flavor without needing a long list of seasonings.

How to Make Chicken Cutlets

*printable recipe card is available at the bottom of this page

Step One: Cut the Chicken Breasts

I started with two large chicken breasts, which weighed approximately 1 1/2 pounds total.

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise, then cut each half into two pieces. I ended up with eight pieces of chicken from my two chicken breasts.

Don’t worry about getting them the same size at this point. That’s where our tortilla press comes in.

Step Two: Flatten the Chicken

This is the fun part!

Line a Tortilla Press with parchment paper. Place one piece of chicken onto the press, cover it with the parchment, and press it flat.

Repeat with each piece of chicken.

I couldn’t believe how easy this was. More importantly, I loved how evenly the tortilla press flattened the chicken. When all of your cutlets are close to the same thickness, they cook at approximately the same rate.

If you don’t have a tortilla press, you can still make this easy chicken cutlet recipe. Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten it.

Step Three: Dry and Season the Chicken

Once all of the chicken is flattened, use paper towels to pat both sides of each cutlet dry.

In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.

Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken.

Drying the chicken before seasoning helps remove excess moisture and gives the breading a better surface to stick to.

Step Four: Prepare the Breading Station

You’ll need two shallow dishes for breading the chicken.

Crack 2 eggs into the first dish and whisk them together.

In the second dish, combine 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Set up your dishes in this order:

Chicken → Egg → Breadcrumb mixture → Clean plate

Having everything ready before you start makes breading the chicken much easier and keeps the mess contained.

Step Five: Bread the Chicken Cutlets

Here’s my favorite trick for breading chicken without ending up with both hands completely covered in egg and breadcrumbs: designate one hand as your “wet hand” and one as your “dry hand.”

I used my left hand to dip each piece of chicken into the egg. Pick it up and let the excess egg drip back into the bowl before transferring the chicken to the breadcrumb mixture.

Then use your right hand to cover the chicken completely with the Italian breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture. Gently press the breading onto both sides so you get a nice, even coating.

Transfer the fully coated chicken to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets.

If you’re not ready to cook your breaded chicken cutlets right away, you can put them back into the refrigerator until it’s time to make dinner.

Step Six: Heat the Oil

When you’re ready to cook, add enough avocado oil to a large skillet to completely cover the bottom of the pan.

I cooked mine in my HEXCLAD FRYING PAN. A nice, large skillet gives the chicken plenty of room to cook without overcrowding the pan.

Heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

You want the oil nice and hot before the chicken goes into the pan. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the breading will absorb more oil instead of quickly turning golden and crispy.

Step Seven: Pan Fry the Chicken Cutlets

Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken cutlets to the skillet.

I cooked three pieces at a time so I didn’t overcrowd the pan.

Cook the chicken for approximately 2 minutes on the first side, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes on the second side.

Because we made thin chicken cutlets with the tortilla press, they cook really quickly. You’re looking for a beautiful golden-brown crust and an internal temperature of 165°F.

Continue working in batches until all of the chicken is cooked.

Step 8: Drain the Chicken

As each batch finishes cooking, transfer the crispy chicken cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate.

The paper towel will absorb any excess oil while the chicken rests.

If you need to add more avocado oil between batches, give the new oil a little time to heat before adding the next pieces of chicken.

Step 9: Finish with Fresh Lemon

Once all of the chicken is cooked, finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving.

Don’t skip this part! That little bit of acidity is so good with the crispy Parmesan breading and really brings all of the flavors together.

What to Serve with Chicken Cutlets

I served these crispy chicken cutlets with my Famous Green Beans, and it was exactly the kind of dinner I was looking for.

The chicken already has Italian breadcrumbs and Parmesan on the outside, so I didn’t feel like we needed rice or another starch with it. Chicken and green beans made a simple, satisfying dinner all on their own.

Serve chicken cutlets with:

• Famous Green Beans – An easy vegetable side and exactly what I served with my chicken cutlets.
• Ranch Mashed Potatoes – Creamy mashed potatoes would be perfect alongside the crispy chicken.
• Southern Collard Greens – Another flavorful vegetable option if you want to keep the meal simple.
• Southern Potato Salad – A great option if you’re serving the chicken cutlets for a casual summer dinner.
• Easy Baked Beans – Sweet and savory baked beans pair well with just about any crispy chicken dinner.
• Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad – A fresh, lighter side that would be especially good with the squeeze of lemon on the chicken.
• Cowboy Caviar – A colorful option loaded with vegetables that adds plenty of flavor to the plate.

You could even slice leftover chicken and put it over a salad for lunch the next day.