These Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets have the perfect crispy, crunchy coating while being tender and juicy on the inside. So juicy your family won’t believe they’re baked and not fried!
Perfectly paired with any pasta dish, in a sandwich or wrap, or even on top of a salad. Also great for meal prep!
These Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets are a great replacement for those who love fried chicken. Now, don’t get me wrong – there is nothing that can replace fried chicken. But when you’re trying to not only fit into your jeans after a long winter or simply trying to look after your heart health, this recipe is a great stand in.
So for the waistlines and hearts that cannot handle fried chicken, this oven-baked chicken recipe is just what you need! Tender and juicy on the inside with a seasoned, crispy and crunch coating on the outside. Just like it should be!
CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN CUTLETS
There are many different methods out there for baked chicken and baked chicken cutlets. Many delicious recipes include mayonnaise as a means to coat the chicken in to get the panko breadcrumbs to stick. As I mentioned – delicious. But certainly not waistline friendly.
In order to keep this recipe on the lighter side when it comes to calories and fat, I opted to not use this delicious ingredient and stick with the basics!
WHAT IS A CHICKEN CUTLET?
Some of you may be thinking, “What is a cutlet??” It’s not some super special, moist, magical cut of chicken. That would be nice, though, wouldn’t it? A cutlet is a thin slice of meat – turkey, veal or chicken.
A chicken cutlet is a slice of boneless, skinless chicken breast that is pounded with a mallet to make it thinner and tender. Most chicken cutlets are available prepackaged right next to regularly sliced chicken breast in the cooler section.
Can’t find chicken cutlets? No problem!! They can easily be at home.
HOW TO SLICE CHICKEN TO CREATE CUTLETS
I do suggest using chicken cutlets for this recipe. They will bake much quicker and they will be much more tender than using a whole chicken breast. If you cannot find chicken cutlets, you can easily use regular chicken breast!
- Take a large cut of chicken breast and slice it in half, lengthwise. If your chicken breasts are on the small side, I would recommend skipping slicing.
- Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and pound the slices lightly with a mallet until they are 1/2 inch thick.
It’s important to have evenly thick slices to ensure that each cutlet cooks within the same timeframe as to not cause others to be over/underbaked.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
Full recipe with directions for these Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets can be found via the printable recipe card below. Simply scroll down! 🙂
- Panko breadcrumbs – plain (can use almond meal, not almond flour, to substitute)
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika
- Fresh parsley
- All-purpose flour (can substitute with arrowroot, rice flour, or any gluten-free flour of choice)
- Parmesan cheese
- Chicken cutlets
- Egg
- Optional garnishment: lemon wedges, coarse sea salt, freshly chopped parsley, and a pinch of red pepper flakes
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN CUTLETS
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- First bowl or lipped plate, combine the panko, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and parsley.
To a second bowl, whisk eggs.
To a third shallow bowl or lipped plate, add the flour, salt, and pepper.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour first, followed by the eggs. Allow any excess egg to drip off before adding to the panko mixture.
- Firmly press each side of the chicken into the panko mixture. This will help coat the chicken.
- Place each cutlet onto a prepared baking sheet, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or lined with parchment paper.
- Spray the tops of each chicken with cooking spray.
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- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the center of each breast reads 160 degrees F using a digital meat thermometer. Remove the chicken and allow it to rest and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
165 degrees F is the safe minimum cooking temperature. - Garnish with lemon slices, freshly chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, & salt.
COOKING TIPS
- Reheating leftovers: Place a wire rack on a lipped sheet pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set the broiler to low and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to avoid any burning. This will help not only warm up the chicken, but also get them crispy again. Alternative method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.
- Gluten free options: Use a coating substitute of either arrowroot powder or rice flour for the flour substitute. Can also swap almond meal for the panko breadcrumbs. You can use a gluten-free flour or simply omit.
- Skillet option: After coating chicken, add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side. Or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F using a meat thermometer.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN CUTLETS
There are many options available that this Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets recipe would compliment well! Spaghetti, sautéed cauliflower rice, steamed vegetables, roasted potatoes, etc. Here are some of my favorite, as well as highly recommended, side dishes:
- Crispy Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
- Mini Garlic Butter Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes
- Creamy Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Cheesy Pepper Jack Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Super Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potato Bites
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Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pound chicken cutlets, (4 boneless, skinless breasts - 6 ounces each)
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, (freshly grated)
- 2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley, (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- olive oil spray
Garnishments:
- lemon wedges
- coarse sea salt
- freshly chopped parsley
- red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- If using regular chicken breasts, pound each breast to 1/2 inch thickness.Skip this step if using precut chicken cutlets.
- Season each chicken breast with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Beat egg and set aside.
- In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, and pepper.
- In a second shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic powder and paprika.
- Dip the chicken in flour, then egg making sure to allow any excess to drip off.Dredge through the breadcrumb mixture making sure to press both sides of the chicken firmly into the mix to help the crumbs adhere.
- Place onto a baking sheet or dish sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Spray the top of each chicken with cooking spray.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F using a digital meat thermometer. Check at 20 minutes. Time will be dependent on how thick the chicken is.Remove from oven and allow the chicken to rest to continue cooking until it reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the top and garnished with coarse sea salt, freshly chopped parsley, and/or red pepper flakes for some extra flavor!
