Breaded Chicken Cutlets Italian Style | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (2024)

Published: Mar 20, 2017 · Modified: Jan 18, 2023 by Lois · As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This site contains affiliate links · 14 Comments

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Thin tender, crispy breaded Italian chicken cutlets are a copycat recipe just like Vinny’s mom from the Jersey Shore. Never dry and ready in under 30 minutes! This recipe is one of my very popular Chicken Cutlet Recipes that's perfect for dinner tonight.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets Italian Style | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (1)

What's for dinner tonight in your kitchen? If you're looking for one of my Family's Favorite Chicken Recipes that's ready in 30 minutes, you're going to love this recipe for Breaded Italian Chicken Cutlets.

Italian Chicken Cutlets

Italian Chicken Cutlets are another thin chicken cutlet recipe my mother made all the time for our family. Actually, I think every kid from Queens grew up on this recipe.

I always make extra of this recipe because leftovers are great made into a sandwich or served sliced on top of lettuce for lunch the next day.

Thin Chicken Cutlet Recipes

All you need to do is add a side dish of maybe homemade mac and cheese or mashed potatoes and you have an easy meal to serve to your family. My son, Michael, loves chicken this way and will usually requests it when he is home visiting from college.

This recipe is very similar to Vinny's Mom's Chicken Cutlet Recipe or Jersey Shore Chicken Cutlets that's crazy popular on You Tube. In fact these two terms came up recently when I was searching for my own recipe online.

Make sure you check out my Chicken Cutlet Mayonnaise Recipe that uses crushed Ritz crackers as the crumb base. It's so delicious! Breaded Chicken Cutlets is very similar to this recipe, but I use flour as part of the coating.

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Main Ingredients Needed

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin and pounded thin.
1 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
Parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper
One egg; slightly beaten
Vegetable oil

Thin Sliced Chicken Cutlets Recipes

The secret to great chicken cutlets recipes is to start out with boneless chicken breasts and slice them through the middle to butterfly them and make them thin.

Lay the boneless skinless chicken breast on a cutting board that's been lined with waxed paper or parchment paper.
Slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces.
Cover the chicken breasts with another sheet of parchment paper and using the smooth side of a mallet, gently pound the chicken until it is thin.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets Italian Style | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (8)

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1: Bread the chicken

Combine the breadcrumbs with the parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a shallow baking dish. Then whisk together the eggs in a small bowl that’s big enough to hold the chicken. Set aside while you prepare the chicken cutlets.

Next, dip the chicken cutlets one at a time in the eggs and then into the breadcrumbs. Make sure both sides of the chicken are covered in breadcrumbs.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets Italian Style | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (15)

Step 2: How to Fry Chicken Cutlets

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the chicken cutlets to the hot oil. Allow them to cook in the oil for about 4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown, but don't cook all the way through. We're going to finish cooking them in the oven.

Step 3: Baking Instructions

The one thing I have learned over the years of making and perfecting this recipe is that by finish cooking the chicken in the oven gives you a much more tender chicken cutlet than by just frying them.

Once the cutlets are browned on both sides, drain them on a paper towel and then place them in a baking dish.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for another 15 minutes.
Always check chicken using a Digital Meat Thermometer to make sure it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets Italian Style | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (18)

Step 4: Serving Tips

Another great idea is to make extra chicken cutlets so you can make Chicken Parmesan another night of the week or maybe 30 Minute Caprese Chicken, which is slowly becoming my husband's favorite.

Here are some delicious side dishes to serve with the Breaded Chicken Cutlets:

My children love this easy recipe forHomemade Mac and Cheese as a side dish with chicken cutlets.
Twice Baked Potatoes is another family favorite!
Roasted Asparagus

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Tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to rate it!

Breaded Chicken Cutlets Italian Style | Walking on Sunshine Recipes (20)

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Breaded Chicken Cutlets - Italian Style

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

If you’re looking for an easy recipe for dinner tonight, you’re going to love this recipe forbreaded chicken cutletsItalian Style. It’s a recipe I grew up on!

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
1 egg; slightly beaten
¼ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Stir the parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper into the breadcrumbs. set aside while you prepare the chicken.
Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast horizontally in half to get a thinner sliced chicken breast - "butterflying" the cutlets. Depending on how thin you slice the chicken breast, you could get 2 to 3 slices per chicken breast.
Using a meat mallet, pound each piece of chicken between sheets of parchment paper till ¼" thick.
Dip chicken in the beaten egg, then dredge in breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add chicken to the large skillet and brown each side approximately 2 minutes or until each side or until golden brown.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and add to a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer.

Notes

You most likely will not use all the breadcrumbs as you are just dredging the chicken in them.
Chicken is always done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. I always check the internal temperature of chicken using this easy to usemeat thermometer.

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FAQs

How to make chicken cutlets without breading falling off? ›

Just as important as the first patting down of the chicken's surface, the final pat down of your meat after covering it with breading helps every piece of crunchy coating adhere. After coating chicken in an egg and breading layer, gently pat all sides.

See Details ›

How do you keep fried chicken cutlets crispy? ›

Placing it on a wire rack in the refrigerator will help maintain air circulation, preventing condensation that can make the coating soggy. Paper Towels: Place a layer of paper towels between the fried chicken pieces when storing them. This helps absorb any excess moisture and keeps the coating crisp.

Know More ›

What is the best oil to fry chicken cutlets in? ›

Oils with a high smoking point work best for frying because the oil needs to be at a high temperature yet still below its smoking point when frying. Good frying oils include most vegetable oils, peanut oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, and canola oil.

View Details ›

What's the difference between chicken milanese and chicken cutlets? ›

Milanese style refers to dredging thin slices of meat in a combination of eggs and breadcrumbs before frying them until golden brown. What is the difference between chicken cutlet and chicken Milanese? A chicken cutlet is basically a chicken breast that has been sliced horizontally to make two thinner pieces.

Get More Info ›

Why does the breading always fall off my fried chicken? ›

Meat is not properly dry

Most home cooks often struggle with getting the breading part right because they do not let their meat dry properly. If the meat is wet, it will make the flour soggy. In that case, breading will not stick properly and may fall off when deep frying.

Keep Reading ›

Why does the breading fall off my chicken when I fry it? ›

You don't start dry

The first step to breading chicken is crucial: Make sure the chicken is completely dry before starting the dredging process. Using a paper towel, pat the meat dry on all sides. Excess moisture will cause the flour to get soggy, meaning it will not adhere properly to the chicken.

Show Me More ›

Why aren't my chicken cutlets crispy? ›

Tips for the best crispy chicken cutlets: Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken. Use the back of a wooden spoon and place into heated oil, if bubbles appear around the wood then the oil is hot enough, if no bubbles then keep heating the oil before adding the chicken. Don't overcrowd the pan.

View Details ›

Is it better to fry chicken cutlets in olive oil or vegetable oil? ›

What's the best oil to fry chicken cutlets in? You can fry chicken cutlets in either high heat vegetable oil or olive oil. Just note that olive oil has a lower smoke point and is more likely to burn, so you need to keep a close eye on them as they cook and adjust the heat as needed.

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Is it better to fry chicken in butter or olive oil? ›

Think vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Don't use olive oil or butter—they both have lower smoke points. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350˚ to 365˚, and you'll want to make sure that you bring the oil back to temperature between batches.

Keep Reading ›

Is it better to fry chicken in butter or oil? ›

Can you cook chicken with butter instead of oil? You have to cook chicken at a lower temperature if you bake or pan-fry chicken using butter instead of oil. This is because butter has a lower scorching temperature. Your chicken will cook more slowly, but it's also likely to be juicier and full of more flavor.

Why does the breading fall off my chicken cutlets? ›

You Don't Start Dry

The first step to breading chicken is crucial; make sure the chicken is completely dry before starting the dredging process. Using a paper towel, pat the meat dry on all sides. Excess moisture will cause the flour to get soggy and thus will not adhere properly to the chicken.

Find Out More ›

How do you keep chicken from breading off? ›

Always dip your chicken in beaten egg before coating

Dipping your chicken in egg helps the breadcrumbs, or whatever coating you use, adhere evenly to the outside of the cutlet. You should start with a thin layer of flour, which gives the egg a better surface to cling to, then the egg, then the coating.

Read On ›

How do you fry chicken so breading doesn't fall off? ›

If you're frying, heat the oil in a dutch oven or cast-iron skillet. After the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated in the breading mixture, place them in the hot oil—with plenty of space in between—and let them be! The more you touch the chicken with tongs, the more likely the breading is to fall off.