Thinly slice seasoned chicken breast, coat in seasoned breadcrumbs, and pan-fry until golden brown and crispy. These are the best chicken cutlets.
Chicken is one of the most popular and versatile proteins. From nuggets to wings, there are endless ways to enjoy this lean and flavorful meat. Two common cuts of chicken are the chicken breast and the chicken cutlet. While they may seem similar, there are some key differences between these two cuts.
What is a Chicken Cutlet?
A chicken cutlet is a thin, flat cut of meat created from a chicken breast. To make a cutlet, the boneless, skinless chicken breast is sliced horizontally to create two thin, even pieces. Chicken cutlets are typically around 1/2 inch thick.
The uniform thickness is a key characteristic of a cutlet. Use a meat mallet to pound the chicken cutlets even more to make the meat further thin and tender. The thin shape lets the cutlet cook quickly and evenly.
Chicken cutlets can be breaded and pan-fried, grilled, baked, or prepared any way you would a chicken breast. Their quick cooking time makes them an ideal choice for weeknight meals.
How Does a Cutlet Differ from a Chicken Breast?
While a cutlet starts from a boneless, skinless chicken breast, there are a few differences that set it apart:
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Thickness A chicken breast ranges from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches thick. A cutlet is pounded to a thin, even 1/2 inch thickness.
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Cook time The thinner cutlet cooks much faster than a thick chicken breast, making it perfect for quick weeknight meals. Cutlets can be cooked in just 2-4 minutes per side.
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Texture: Pound chicken cutlets to make the meat even more tender and make a flat surface that’s great for frying and breading.
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Cost: Chicken cutlets offer more value per pound than larger, thicker chicken breasts. You can slice one breast into two cutlets.
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Versatility: The thin cutlets are perfect for breading and frying or pounding for scallopini. Their quick cook time allows more flexibility for weeknight meals.
How to Make Chicken Cutlets
To make chicken cutlets at home:
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Start with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Rinse and pat dry.
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Place chicken breast smooth side down on a cutting board. Hold your non-cutting hand firmly on top of the breast.
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Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into two evenly thick cutlets.
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Lay cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper. Use a meat mallet or heavy skillet to pound each cutlet to an even 1⁄2-inch thickness.
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Season or bread cutlets as desired. Cook quickly in a hot pan or skillet for 2-4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
Popular Ways to Use Chicken Cutlets
The quick cooking time and thin profile make chicken cutlets ideal for:
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Breaded cutlets: Coat with breadcrumbs or panko and pan-fry for chicken parmesan, schnitzel, or tonkatsu.
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Stuffed cutlets: Butterfly cutlets and stuff with cheese, spinach, or other fillings. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
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Scallopini: Pound thin and pan-fry with lemon, white wine, capers, and herbs.
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Salads: Cook cutlets and slice or dice for chicken salads and wraps.
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Sandwiches: Use breaded or grilled cutlets on rolls for chicken sandwiches.
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Fajitas or stir fry: Slice cutlets and sauté with veggies for fajitas or stir fry.
Purchasing and Storing Chicken Cutlets
Look for chicken cutlets ready to cook at many grocery stores, often near refrigerated chicken breasts. They’ll save you the step of slicing them yourself.
For three to four days, keep raw cutlets in the fridge in a container with a lid. Freeze for longer storage. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing.
Chicken Cutlet Recipes to Try
Chicken cutlets open up a world of quick and easy dinner options. Here are some tasty recipes for your weeknight meal rotation:
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Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Herb Salad – Breaded cutlets served over fresh herb salad.
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Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Lemon Sauce – Pan-fried cutlets in lemony pan sauce.
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Crispy Buffalo Chicken Cutlets – Chicken cutlets coated in spicy buffalo sauce and breadcrumbs.
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Cutlets – Cutlets stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese.
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Balsamic Chicken Cutlets – Chicken cutlets sautéed in balsamic vinaigrette.
Chicken cutlets are budget-friendly, cook lightning fast, and open a world of quick dinner ideas. Understanding the difference between cutlets and chicken breasts can help you decide when to use each. Keep cutlets in mind next time you need an easy, tasty protein for weeknight meals.
The Best Chicken Cutlets
From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito
If you’re looking for the best chicken cutlets this recipe is for you!
I’ve been making these for years and truly feel like I’ve found the perfect combination of all the ingredients.
A great chicken cutlet needs to be thin, well-seasoned, and perfectly cooked to a crispy golden brown.
I can teach you how to hit all of those marks and make the best chicken cutlets ever.
When I make these, which is now once a week, my family goes crazy for them every time. My kids ask for this all of the time and I can’t blame them.
This is a great recipe to have because chicken cutlets can be uses in so many ways. Eat them alone, on a sandwich, make them into chicken parm or top a salad with them. The possibilities are endless.
I hope you give this recipe a try. If you do, I know you’ll love it just as much as my family and I do.
You may not know this, but I have a cookbook called Fast Simple Delicious. It has 60 easy, fail-safe recipes for comfort food that are great for busy weeknight dinners.
Click HERE to order your copy or click the 3 lines in the top right corner and click “Book”. Thank you for the support.
The Best Chicken Cutlets Variations
I like this recipe for chicken cutlets made just the way it is but here are some ways to change it up if you’d like to.
- Chicken: If you can’t find chicken breasts that have been thinly sliced at the store, use regular chicken breasts and pound them out until they are very thin.
- Breadcrumbs: You can use Panko, Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, or a mix of the two.
- Flour: Some people say that the chicken should be lightly floured before the egg and breadcrumbs. Over the years, I skipped the extra step because I don’t think it makes a difference. You can try it if you want to.
Here are some more easy chicken recipes that I know you’ll love if you like this one.
How to Make Perfect Crispy Chicken Cutlets | From the Test Kitchen | Bon Appetit
FAQ
How thick is a chicken cutlet?
The cutlet is relatively thin (about half an inch thick) and has an even thickness throughout. This makes them perfect for quick cooking methods like searing. Chicken cutlets are often pounded thin, breaded, and pan-fried. Many cultures have their own version of this recipe, including Italian scallopini, German schnitzel, and Japanese tonkatsu.
Can I make my own chicken cutlets?
Yes, it is possible to make your own chicken cutlets at home using chicken breast and a few simple ingredients. To make chicken cutlets, you will need to pound the chicken breast to an even thickness, season it with salt and pepper, and then cut it into thin slices.
Are chicken breast and chicken cutlets the same?
Chicken breast and chicken cutlets are technically the same meat, though cutlets are thinner so if you use breast in a recipe that calls for cutlets your cooking time will vary since chicken breast is thicker. Never Miss a Recipe! Get the latest recipes straight to your inbox!.
How do you make a chicken cutlet?
The first step in making a chicken cutlet is selecting the right piece of chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the most common choice. They are easy to work with and provide a lean, tender cut of meat that is ideal for quick cooking. 2. Butterflying the Chicken To create a chicken cutlet, start by butterflying the chicken breast.
Why should you use chicken cutlets?
There are a number of reasons to use chicken cutlets. Portioning: Not just for portion control but also to make serving up easier. A chicken cutlet is the perfect single serving so you can place a “whole” piece of breast on each plate as opposed to chopping them up after cooking. Quick cooking: Chicken cutlets are the heroes of weeknight dinners.
What cut of chicken is a chicken cutlet?
A chicken cutlet comes from a boneless, skinless chicken breast that has been halved horizontally.
What cut of meat is a cutlet?
A cutlet is a thin piece of meat from the leg or ribs of a sheep, veal, pork, or chicken. The word comes from the French words côtelette, côte, which means “rib.”
What is a chicken cutlet?
In the culinary arts, the term cutlet is used to refer to a boneless, thin cut of meat—chicken, veal, pork, or lamb—that cooks very quickly and is usually pan-fried. Most cutlets are made by pounding the meat until it is evenly thin. Before cooking, it is often covered in flour or breadcrumbs.
What do you need for chicken parm?
Ingredients4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 2 large eggs. 1 cup panko bread crumbs, or more as needed. ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more if needed. ½ cup olive oil for frying, or as needed. ½ cup prepared tomato sauce.