When your husband considers a recipe that you make "marrying food," you know you've got a winner. My boys also never get tired of this dish; whenever they come to visit, they ask if we're having "Mama's Parm." So these Parmesan Chicken Cutlets are one of the go-to dishes that I love to make on a regular basis.
The chicken is crispy, flavorful, satisfying , and above all, easy to prepare. The ingredients are basic and may be found in your pantry or fridge, so when the mood strikes for this "marrying food," I just pull out a couple of chicken breasts from the freezer and whip up a quick meal. The only ingredient that does make a difference though is good quality Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated. Most chicken breasts are thick, so they may be sliced horizontally to make them thinner.
Serving these cutlets with mashed potatoes and fresh steamed vegetables makes for a hearty and healthful meal. For a lighter meal, a fresh and light salad, such as the Sicilian Salad, mounded on the top of the chicken, makes a nice presentation, especially for an elegant lunch.
This recipe is the perfect dinner for two but can easily be doubled or tripled for company!
Pound them...
Bread them...
Fry them...
Eat them...
Crispy Parmesan Chicken Cutlets
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, pounded thin
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- ¾ cup plain or Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs
- Grapeseed or olive oil
- Sliced lemon
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag. Close the seal, leaving about an inch unsealed to let air escape.
- Pound the chicken with the smooth side of a mallet or a rolling pin until chicken is about ¼” thick.
- Combine flour, salt and pepper on a plate or shallow bowl.
- Beat the eggs with water and pour onto another plate or shallow bowl.
- Grate the cheese and combine with the bread crumbs on another plate or shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg, finishing with the bread crumbs and cheese mixture.
- Place breaded chicken cutlets on a baking rack in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will make for crispy chicken and help keep the breading from falling off when cooking.
- Heat 2-3 Tablespoons of oil in a large heavy skillet or cast iron-skillet over medium heat. Oil should be about ⅛" deep.
- Cook cutlets, adding more oil if needed, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.
- Place the chicken on a plate and keep warm.
- Serve immediately with lemon slices.
Notes
Gr8 Do-Ahead Tip:
Chicken can be breaded 3 months in advance. Place between pieces of freezer paper or waxed paper and freeze in resealable freezer bags. Thaw before continuing with Step 8.Gr8 Twist to this Recipe:
Cutlets can also be baked in a 425ºF oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until cooked through. You can flip them halfway through cooking.
Claudia Kerns
I hope to make this on the weekend. It looks delicious!! Thank you!