This recipe for Crispy Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets is the best you'll ever have! Thin slices of chicken breast are breaded with a homemade seasoned breadcrumb mixture then pan fried in extra virgin olive oil to get super crispy and flavorful.
Here in New Jersey, Italian breaded chicken cutlets are a staple. We put them on sandwiches, smother them in mozzarella and tomato sauce for chicken parm, serve them with a lemony arugula salad for Chicken Milanese, and I personally like to eat them cold, straight out of the refrigerator, with my hands.
Why this recipe works
- A beginner friendly recipe - I started making these when I was just a kid!
- Instead of using store bought Italian breadcrumbs, these are made with homemade seasoned breadcrumbs to make them extra crispy and cheesy.
- Pounding out the chicken super thin ensures they cook through in the pan with no oven required.
- Seasoning each piece of chicken before breading makes the meat juicy and flavorful.
- Adding grated cheese to the egg mixture makes the breading
- Breadcrumbs - If you have homemade breadcrumbs - use those. Otherwise, unseasoned Panko is the way to go. They're lighter than traditional breadcrumbs and make the best crispy coating. I prefer to season my own breadcrumbs rather than using already seasoned Italian breadcrumbs because the flavor is so much better.
- Grated Cheese - For this recipe, I find a good quality parmesan, such as Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano, and a good quality Pecorino Romano, such as Locatelli, are interchangeable. Use either one or both, just make sure you're using the good stuff - it makes a difference.
- Chicken - Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. You can start with whole chicken breasts and slice them thin, or buy chicken breasts that have already been thinly sliced. We will take it one step further and pound the chicken out to be extra thin, because the thinner they are, the better they are.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Some people say you should never to fry in extra virgin olive oil, but I disagree. It makes all the difference in this recipe and gives the chicken much more flavor than when it's fried in vegetable oil. For frying, use a less expensive olive oil and not the top-shelf stuff that's best reserved for finishing.
Step by step instructions
- Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, and ¾ cup cheese to a medium shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then use your fingers to mix it together, working the garlic into the breadcrumbs until evenly distributed.
- In another medium, shallow bowl, whisk together 3 eggs with ½ cup cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water until combined.
- Pour the flour into another shallow bowl or plate, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Take one piece of thinly sliced chicken and place it on a cutting board. Place a piece of plastic wrap over top, then use a meat mallet to pound it out to be about ½ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Season each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set up the breading station so that the chicken is on the far left, then next to it the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, and then a landing plate or pan to hold the breaded chicken.
- Take a piece of chicken and dip it into the flour to coat on all sides, then tap off the excess (*See note).
- Next, dip it in the egg mixture and let the excess drip off.
- Transfer the chicken into the breadcrumbs. Be sure to press it down and move it around so that it's thoroughly coated. Place the chicken on the reserved plate, and repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Place 1-3 chicken breasts in at a time, depending on how many your pan can hold. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Cook until golden brown on each side, then remove to a rack or paper towels to drain.
- Serve immediately, or place in a 250 degree F oven for up to 1 hour before serving to keep warm.
Tips for success
- To season the chicken faster, I like to liberally season one side, then stack another piece of chicken on top of it. This allows some the seasoning to transfer onto the other piece, seasoning both sides more effectively.
- Let the breaded chicken sit for about 30 minutes before you fry it - this will help the breading stick.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying. I try not to fry more than two at a time, but depending on your pan you may only be able to fit one.
- I prefer to drain the fried chicken cutlets on a rack rather than paper towels because it keeps them crispier.
Faq about Italian Breaded Chicken Cutlets
It helps to let the breaded chicken cutlets rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before frying. This helps the breading adhere to the chicken and form a crust.
If the oil isn't hot enough, the breadcrumbs will absorb the oil and turn soggy, resulting in chicken cutlets that are more greasy than they are crispy. Make sure the oil has plenty of time to heat up before placing the chicken cutlets in the pan. It should look shimmery.Ho
The best way to keep the chicken crispy is to set a rack on top of a sheet pan and allow the cutlets to drain on that rather than paper towels. You can keep them in a 250 degree F oven for up to an hour before serving to keep them hot and crispy.
Yes. A lot of people prefer to fry in a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil because they have a higher smoke point, but I find they have a much better flavor when fried in olive oil. If you're not comfortable frying in all olive oil, try a 50-50 mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil instead.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe and LOVE it? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and/or comment to help other readers. I absolutely love hearing from you and do my best to answer all questions and comments. I love seeing when you make my recipes, so please tag me @ColeyCooks on Instagram and I will repost!
PrintBest Ever Chicken Cutlets
This recipe for Italian breaded Chicken Cutlets is the BEST you'll ever have! There a few key secrets to getting that crispy outer coating just right. Turn them into chicken parm, or my favorite, chicken Milanese!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: chicken
- Method: fried
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 3 cups homemade breadcrumbs or panko
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsely
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (optional)
- ¾ cup plus ½ cup finely grated pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese (or both)
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, and ¾ cup cheese to a medium shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then use your fingers to mix it together, working the garlic into the breadcrumbs until evenly distributed.
- In another medium, shallow bowl, whisk together 3 eggs with ½ cup cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water until combined.
- Pour the flour into another shallow bowl or plate, season with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
- Take one piece of thinly sliced chicken and place it on a cutting board. Place a piece of plastic wrap over top, then use a meat mallet to pound it out to be about ½ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Season each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set up the breading station so that the chicken is on the far left, then next to it the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, and then a landing plate or pan to hold the breaded chicken.
- Take a piece of chicken and dip it into the flour to coat on all sides, then tap off the excess (*See note).
- Next, dip it in the egg mixture and let the excess drip off.
- Transfer the chicken into the breadcrumbs. Be sure to press it down and move it around so that it's thoroughly coated. Place the chicken on the reserved plate, and repeat with the remaining pieces.
- Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Place 1-3 chicken breasts in at a time, depending on how many your pan can hold. Don't overcrowd the pan.
- Cook until golden brown on each side, then remove to a rack or paper towels to drain.
- Serve immediately, or place in a 250 degree F oven for up to 1 hour before serving to keep warm.
Notes
- *When breading, I try to designate one hand for touching only dry things, like flour and breadcrumbs, and one hand for touching only wet, like the raw chicken and eggs. This prevents you from breading your fingers in the process.
- Serve as is with a squeeze of lemon, with a tomato arugula salad, or smother with marinara and mozzarella to make chicken parm. This procedure also works equally as well with veal and pork.
- Leftovers can be stored, wrapped tightly, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 823
- Sugar: 5.3 g
- Sodium: 1006.1 mg
- Fat: 19.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 84.2 g
- Protein: 72.2 g
- Cholesterol: 312.4 mg
Erin
AMAZING!!!! My family’s new favorite. Thank you so much for sharing!
Coley
So happy you loved them, thanks for the review!
Anonymous
Susan
This was delicious! Easy to follow instructions. A little chicken went along way.
Coley
SO glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous
Taylor
I’ve made these two weeks in a row for my husband and I’s work meal prep, paired with a pesto pasta. They’re delicious even when reheating a couple days later. Thank you for the recipe!
Coley
So glad you loved them!!
Laurie
These were the best cutlets EVER! will be a forever in my house 🙂
Coley
So happy you loved them!
Tanya Zara Malek
Delicious! I made these tonight and we all loved them.
Thanks for sharing. I will be making these again.
Coley
So glad you loved them! Thanks for commenting!
WM
Is this 823 calories for the whole 2 lbs or per chicken breast?
Coley
Hi. Unfortunately accurate nutritional information is difficult for a recipe like this because it's impossible to know the size of your chicken breasts. In addition, not 100% of the breading will be used up. The numbers here are a calculation of all the ingredients divided by the serving size, in this case it has been averaged to 5. So the 823 is calculated for one serving size, but it is likely less. Hope this helps and sorry for the confusion.
Mary Brewer
OMG! I made these last night after work. My husband and I loved them. I would definitely make these again real soon! Thanks for sharing your recipes!!
Coley
Fantastic! Thanks for rating and reviewing!
Algernon
I prepared these great recipe, my family enjoyed them. In fact I am making them again tonight.
Coley
SO glad you enjoyed them enough to make them twice!
Robin
Was the best chicken I have ever had. Put It on a bed of arugula and cherry tomatoes. An easy and perfect dinner!! Hubby was thrilled.
Coley
Thank you! Arugula and cherry tomatoes is my favorite way to eat them too!
Angie Grygier
Made this for dinner this evening and it was delicious !!! We try to watch our sodium intake so instead of salt and pepper I used a garlic herb seasoning that is salt free. I made a few extra pieces of chicken so I can use it tomorrow for a salad at lunch. This is a keeper for sure !
Coley
So glad you loved it! The garlic herb seasoning sounds like a perfect addition!
Kristina
I made this last week and it was SOOOO good! Best Chicken cutlets I've ever made. Def try it! My husband loved them as well. He said they were just as good, if not better, than his favorite Italian deli.
Coley
SO glad you enjoyed them!
Anthony
Definitely the best cutlets I've ever made, and this was with store-bought breadcrumbs. Perhaps in the future I'll try to make my own breadcrumbs. Anyways, thanks for a great recipe!
Coley
Love that it worked well for you!
April
I made it tonight, turned out perfect and delicious, I did do a little lemon zest on top , great recipe 😊
Coley
Ooh the lemon zest sounds like a great touch! Thanks for the review!
Karen Schipilliti
Absolutely perfect. My adult children enjoyed it so much I have to make it again tonight!
Coley
Thank you! So glad you all enjoyed it so much!
Kristina
So yummy! The breading is tasty and crispy, and browns up very nicely (the cheese in the breading is a brilliant touch!). I think my cutlets were slightly less thin than those in the recipe, so I did briefly put a lid over the pan to make sure they cooked through, and they STILL came out crispy! I made 4 cutlets -- 2 are now in the freezer, 1 is in the fridge to be eaten tomorrow, and I'm eating the other one right now. I melted some Muenster cheese on top, put it on a kaiser roll, and added some good quality pasta sauce on top. Superb!!
Coley
That sandwich sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Kristina
It really was! Today I sliced up the second cutlet, noshed on some of it just plain (SO good!), then made some spaghetti with sauce and added the rest of the cutlet to that, which was also really good. I'm a Jersey girl myself, so I know good chicken parm, lol, even though I'm not Italian! Honestly, though, I think I like it best just cold out of the fridge, with nothing on it. The breading is sooooo good, and honestly I don't think it adds much in the way of fat or calories, just immense flavor! I've never been able to do a good breaded chicken cutlet before in my life, so I'm really glad I found your recipe -- I will be making these cutlets often! 🙂
Coley
I love them cold out of the fridge too! All jersey girls know a good chicken cutlet when they have one, and I'm so glad you love mine! 🙂
Pamela E
Wow! I googled thin cut crispy chicken breast (to put on top of a salad) and this recipe popped up. Super easy to to make; I had all the ingredients-- plus the already thinly sliced chicken breast-- and was done in less then 1/2 hour. Delicious!! Def a keeper recipe. Thanks Coley!
Coley
Thank you! So glad you loved it!
Emma
These are the best chicken cutlets I’ve ever made, my husband is obsessed! Thank you for the recipe.
Coley
Thank you so much, that's amazing!!