Learn how to make crispy summer chicken cutlets with a vibrant and refreshing salad! The chicken breasts are pounded until thin and tender, breaded in a parmesan panko mixture that includes fresh herbs, and then they’re served with a refreshing salad full of garden vegetables.
Chicken cutlets are a classic in Italian-American cooking – and I think the best pairing is to serve them with a refreshing garden salad! Chicken cutlets can be a little rich and heavy due to the oil they’re cooked in, but cutting that richness with a bright salad and a light vinaigrette is perfection.
My garden is just now popping with cucumbers and herbs, and very soon it will be abundant with tomatoes. So I wanted to make something seasonal and a recipe I can use up my garden vegetables in!
This recipe is fantastic and one my family loves! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and measurements.
The cutlets. To make the chicken cutlets, slice the chicken breasts lengthwise to form cutlets. Chicken breasts are ideal for cutlets, but thighs could also be used!
Breadcrumb mixture. A combination of both fine breadcrumbs and panko is used to get a nice crust. The mixture is seasoned with Italian herbs, garlic powder, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Eggs. To make sure the breadcrumbs stick, you’ll need a few eggs – I like to mix the eggs with finely chopped basil and parsley for added herbed flavor.
The salad. For the salad, I used cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and sun-dried tomatoes for a salty touch. The dressing is homemade with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, fresh basil, and parsley!
How to Make Chicken Cutlets with Garden Salad
Full instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
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1
Make the salad and dressing.
Combine the halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, sliced red onion, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl.Then, make the dressing by combining extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, fresh basil, and parsley.
Top the salad with the dressing, toss and set aside while you prepare the chicken.
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2
Pound the chicken breasts.
Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel.Using a sharp knife, carefully slice them lengthwise in half to create cutlets. You should have four cutlets in total when finished.
With the smooth side of a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
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3
Make and prepare the breading.
Create an assembly line of three shallow dishes (make sure each are big enough to fit the cutlets). The first with all-purpose flour and a healthy pinch of salt. The second with whisked eggs, finely chopped herbs (parsley and basil), and a pinch of salt. The third with a breadcrumb mixture (breadcrumbs, grated parmigiano reggiano, garlic powder, herbs, and salt).
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4
Bread the chicken cutlets.
Dip the cutlets first in the flour, then the eggs, and then the breadcrumbs – being sure to pack down the breadcrumbs onto the cutlets.
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6
Then shake off any extra breadcrumbs before transferring to a sheet pan. Repeat until all the chicken cutlets are evenly coated.
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7
Cook the breaded chicken.
Heat a large pan on medium heat for several minutes, then add cooking olive oil or the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until golden. Then flip and cook for another 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate or pan and keep uncovered (covering will make the crispy breading soggy). Add more olive oil as needed to finish the remaining cutlets.
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8
Serve
Once the cutlets are cooked, serve immediately with the salad and dressing on top and enjoy!
Tips for Cutlet Success
Keep them thin. Chicken cutlets should always be on the thinner side. This is because they’re browned and cooked in a pan; if they’re too thick, they will take much longer and may burn the breading. Start by butterflying the chicken breasts and dividing them into cutlets, then pound the cutlets until they are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
If breading isn’t sticking. If you run into the cutlet breading falling off, let the breaded chicken cutlets sit for 10 minutes before you cook them – this will give the cutlets more time to adhere to the breading.
Season every layer with salt. Since the chicken cutlets are not seasoned with salt before breading, it’s important to season every layer of the breading process with salt. From the flour, to the eggs, and breadcrumb mixture. A healthy pinch is all that’s needed for the flour and eggs, but it goes a long way!
Add herbs to the eggs. I think adding herbs to the whisked eggs is a sneaky yet perfect way of getting more herbaceous notes into the actual chicken cutlet. I recommend very finely chopping the herbs for this step. Finer than you would typically cut herbs. If they are not chopped small enough, the herbs will not coat the chicken enough when dipped into the egg mixture. I love using fresh basil, but you can also use parsley or a combination of both!
Herbed Chicken Cutlets with Garden Salad
Ingredients
Garden Salad
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumbers, sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & black pepper to taste
The Chicken Cutlets
- 2 chicken breasts, divided into 4 cutlets
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- healthy pinch of salt
Breading
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely and freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Egg mixture
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 Tablespoons fresh basil & parsley mix, very finely chopped
- healthy pinch of salt
For Cooking
- 1/3 cup cooking oil I like to use the oil from the sundried tomato jar and supplement with a high heat cooking oil
Instructions
- Make the salad: In a medium-sized bowl, add the halved tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, and sun-dried tomatoes. Drizzle with the dressing ingredients and season to taste with salt and black pepper – mix until salad ingredients are evenly dressed. Then cover and let it sit to the side while you make the cutlets.
- Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then, using a sharp knife, carefully slice them lengthwise in half to create cutlets. You should have four cutlets in total when finished. Then place the chicken between plastic wrap and pound with the smooth side of a meat hammer until the chicken is ¼ to ½ inch in thickness.
- Make the cutlets: Create an assembly line of three shallow dishes (make sure each are big enough to fit the cutlets). One with all-purpose flour and a healthy pinch of salt; the second with whisked eggs, finely chopped herbs, and a pinch of salt; and the third with the breadcrumb mixture. Dip the cutlets first in the flour, then the eggs, and then the breadcrumbs – being sure to pack down the breadcrumbs onto the cutlets. Then shake off any extra breadcrumbs before transferring to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the chicken cutlets are evenly coated.
- Cook the culets: Heat a large pan on medium heat for several minutes, then add 3 to 4 Tablespoons of a cooking olive oil or the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken cutlets and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until golden. Then flip and cook for another 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a clean plate or pan and keep uncovered (covering will make the crispy breading soggy). If you want to keep the cutlets warm while you make them, place them in the oven on the warm setting, uncovered, while you cook the remaining cutlets. Add more oil as needed to finish the remaining cutlets.
- Serve with the salad: Once the cutlets are cooked, serve with the salad and dressing and enjoy!
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