Pan Fried Breaded Chicken Cutlets

5 from 10 votes

This recipe for juicy, tender, pan fried breaded chicken cutlets in just 20 minutes is the ultimate meal prep recipe.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: cutlets

Calories: 415kcal

Start by fileting each chicken breast to create thinner chicken cutlets. Lay each cutlet down on the cutting board.
Once all the chicken has been fileted, place a large piece of plastic wrap on top of the cutlets.
Using a meat hammer or tenderizer, pound the chicken a few times using the sharp, spiky side. This will help loosen up the muscle and the meat itself, resulting in very tender, juicy chicken cutlets.
Once the chicken has been fully tenderized, season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Take a piece of chicken, dip into the egg, and then directly into the breading.
Coat the chicken with the breadcrumbs until all of the flesh has been covered. Place on a clean plate and repeat this step for all the chicken cutlets.
To fry the chicken, add the oil to a medium frying pan over a medium heat.
Once the oil is hot add in a few cutlets at a time, cooking on each side for approximately 3 minutes, or until the sides begin to turn golden brown.
Flip and repeat for each cutlet.

Use a meat tenderizer to help make the chicken tender. Even if the chicken is already on the thinner side, I always place a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken and use a meat tenderizer to make them a little thinner and to loosen the muscle. The purpose of this is to make the chicken as flavorful and less chewy as possible.
Fry with a cast iron skillet. I always recommend having a cast iron skillet on hand in the kitchen as it provides an evenly distributed heat, and will fry the chicken cutlets evenly.
Don't be afraid to use enough oil when frying, the more oil you add ahead of time, the less you have to add as you fry. Add just enough oil to rise about ½" up the sides of the skillet or pan so that the chicken cooks evenly on both sides. Plus, any oil you have to add to the pan will take time heating up.
Look for seasoned Italian breadcrumbs versus plain. It gives more flavor to the breading. If you cannot find seasoned, simply use plain breadcrumbs and add two tablespoons of an Italian seasoning blend, mix together and use.