Description
Crispy baked chicken cutlets from Italy offer a healthier alternative to traditional fried versions. Golden-brown breading and tender meat create a simple, delicious meal for family dinners you’ll savor to the last bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, pounded to ½ in/1.27 cm thick)
- 1 ½ cups (135 g) breadcrumbs (plain or Italian-style)
- ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs (large)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Cooking spray or olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, creating an ideal cooking environment for crispy chicken cutlets.
- Breading Station: Arrange three shallow containers – one with flour, another with whisked egg and water, and the third combining breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese – forming a strategic coating assembly.
- Coating Process: Dredge each chicken cutlet thoroughly in flour, then dip into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off before generously rolling in the seasoned breadcrumb mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Baking Technique: Carefully place the breaded cutlets on the prepared baking sheet, maintaining space between pieces for optimal air circulation, and lightly spritz with cooking spray to enhance golden browning.
- Culinary Transformation: Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven, rotating midway through cooking to promote uniform crispness and even heating.
- Final Check: Confirm the chicken has reached a safe internal temperature of 165F (74C), typically achieved in 20-25 minutes, resulting in a perfectly crisp and juicy chicken cutlet.
Notes
- Prep with Precision: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting to guarantee even coating and consistent cooking results.
- Crumb Control: Use panko breadcrumbs for extra crispiness, or mix regular breadcrumbs with crushed cornflakes for a more textured exterior.
- Moisture Management: Pat chicken cutlets completely dry with paper towels before breading to prevent soggy coating and promote better adhesion.
- Temperature Tactics: Let baked cutlets rest for 5 minutes after cooking to lock in juices and maintain optimal tenderness, preventing dry meat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg