Baked Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients you'll need

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• Chicken - Use store-bought cutlets or you can start with boneless breasts, slice them in half, and pound lightly to get the desired thickness. Read the blog post chicken breast recipes for tips on cooking juicy breasts everytime.
• Flour: Provides a sticky batter that the crumbs can latch on to.
• Eggs: Eggs become a solid gel when cooked, ensuring the crumbs stay put.
• Panko breadcrumbs: For a lighter and crispier crust.
• Milk and Lemon: This helps in tenderizing the meat, acting as a buttermilk substitute.
• Seasoning: A blend of garlic powder, cayenne, and black pepper creates a wonderfully uncomplicated yet immensely flavorful seasoning.

Seasoning variations

1. Italian - Skip cayenne, toss Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes with the marinade, as we did for the air fryer garlic parmesan wings. Mix in some shredded parmesan along with the outer coating.
2. Mexican - Skip cayenne and stir in chicken taco seasoning with the marinade.
3. Indian - Add ground coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper powders, along with grated ginger and garlic into the batter, similar to our chicken tikka kebab.
4. Make it spicy - Increase cayenne and add a dash of sriracha.

How to cut cutlets from chicken breasts?

Most supermarkets carry chicken cutlets, but it's very easy to make at home by splitting boneless skinless breasts horizontally in half and then pounding them to ¼ to ½ inch thickness.

Place a boneless, skinless breast on a cutting board. Holding the breast in the palm of one hand, make a horizontal slit using a sharp knife in the other hand, all the way through, to obtain two pieces. Then, using a meat mallet, pound the meat until it reaches a thickness of approximately ¼ inch to ½ inch. If you prefer a visual demonstration, you can refer to this short video.

1 & 2. Whisk egg, flour, milk, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a large bowl, until combined.

3. Use store-bought cutlets or slice your own - Using a sharp knife, cut chicken breasts in half horizontally and pound to ½ inch thickness, and transfer them into the bowl.

4. Toss the cutlets in the batter to coat thoroughly. Let marinade for about 30 minutes at room temperature (or a few hours in the refrigerator).

Tip: If you are pounding your meat, then I recommend making them about ½-inch thick for a juicy and tender cooked interior.

5 & 6. Place a saute pan over medium heat. Add panko and vegetable oil, and cook stirring constantly until golden brown. Transfer breadcrumbs onto a seperate plate to cool.

7 & 8. Working with one cutlet at a time, remove from the batter, drain excess batter, coat both sides with breadcrumbs and place them on a greased baking sheet.

Tip: Using hands or tongs, make sure to press the panko mixture well on all sides to help it adhere well and give a thicker coating

9. Spray the tops with a coating of non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 16 to 19 minutes, in a 400-degree oven, until cooked through or the chicken reaches 165°F

Pro tip: Don't flip! I highly recommend cooking it on one side only, as this will yield a perfectly browned and mega-crispy top crust while maintaining a slightly softer bottom crust.

Serving suggestions

Baked chicken cutlets make a fabulous 30 minute chicken recipe for weeknight dinner, served with marinara, tomato cream sauce, lemon butter sauce, sriracha mayo, or bbq sauce. But, they are also excellent transformed to make various meals:

1. All-American dinner: Serve with yukon gold mashed potatoes, garlic bread, air fryer corn on the cob, and just watch your family clean the plates.
2. With a side salad or rice dishes.
3. Turn them into sandwiches: Make a classic chicken cultet sandwich with toasted buns, mayo, mustard, sliced tomato, and lettuce.
4. Caesar Salad: Slice-baked chicken cutlets and top your favorite homemade Caesar salad with a couple of lemon wedges.
5. Chicken Parmesan: Baked chicken cutlets are good enough on their own, but they make an irresistible meal, topped with some marinara sauce and a layer of gooey melted cheese. Refer to our air fryer chicken parmesan recipe.
6. With pasta dishes: Pair the baked chicken cutlets with a steaming bowl of any creamy pasta recipes.
7. Spicy Sandwich: Serve in between toasted brioche buns, sriracha mayo, and pickles.

Storage and reheating instructions

You can store any remaining baked chicken cutlets in the refrigerator for up to four days. However, I highly recommend freezing them instead, as they retain their quality for up to two months, and the breadcrumbs crisp up remarkably well when reheated from frozen.

• Reheat from frozen in an oven - Place them in a preheated 380-degree oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway or until warmed through.
• Reheat from frozen in an air fryer - Place them in a preheated 375-degree air fryer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until warmed through.

Recipe tips

1. Play around with different seasonings. While these baked chicken cutlets are delicious as-is, you can add some seasonings to the marinade to elevate the flavor even more.
2. Use a meat thermometer to gauge doneness. The safe internal temperature of cooked chicken is 165°F. Take the guesswork out of gauging doneness by investing in an instant-read thermometer. 
3. Try to pound the meat into an even thickness so you don't end up in unevenly cooked areas.
4. Dredge well – Using hands or tongs, make sure to press the panko mixture well on all sides to help it adhere well and give a thicker coating.
5. Don’t overlap: Placing the meat in a single layer without overlapping will allow even cooking.