Garlic Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

There’s something about a thin, crispy chicken cutlet that makes it hard to stop at just one. For these Garlic Parmesan Chicken Cutlets, I wanted that classic thin Italian-style cutlet with plenty of crunch, but I also wanted to give it the same buttery, garlicky Parmesan treatment you would normally find on a plate of wings. Instead of pounding the chicken thin, I slice the chicken breasts horizontally into very thin cutlets. This gives you those wide, delicate pieces of chicken that cook incredibly quickly while staying juicy inside. The breading is simple too, there’s no flour involved. The chicken goes straight into eggs mixed with freshly grated Parmesan and then into breadcrumbs before being fried until crisp and golden. The idea of mixing Parmesan directly into the eggs came from several Italian content creators I’ve watched who credit the technique to their mothers and grandmothers, a traditional way of making Italian chicken cutlets that has been passed down through generations.

The garlic Parmesan sauce is what takes them in a slightly different direction. It’s buttery, loaded with fresh garlic and Parmesan, and perfect with that crunchy breading. You can serve the sauce on the side for dipping if keeping the cutlets extra crispy is your priority, or toss the cutlets with the sauce just like you would garlic Parmesan wings. Either way, you get crispy chicken, savory Parmesan and plenty of garlic in every bite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I especially love how thin these chicken cutlets are. Because we’re slicing the chicken rather than pounding it, you get thin, tender pieces without having to pull out a meat mallet. They cook in just a few minutes, and the thinness gives you a great ratio of crunchy breading to juicy chicken. The Parmesan does double duty in this recipe. It goes directly into the egg mixture before breading the chicken, giving the crust a salty, savory flavor, and then we use more Parmesan in the garlic butter sauce. The finished cutlets are crisp around the edges with a tender center, while the sauce is rich, garlicky, buttery and cheesy. And you can decide exactly how saucy you want them. Keep the garlic Parmesan sauce on the side for maximum crunch or toss the hot cutlets in it for more of a garlic Parmesan wing experience.

Ingredients

For the chicken cutlets, you’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts, eggs, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika and oil for frying.

For the garlic Parmesan sauce, you’ll need butter, fresh garlic, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes if you like a little heat, freshly grated Parmesan, fresh parsley and a small squeeze of lemon juice (optional).

How To Make Garlic Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Start with the chicken. I find it much easier to get extremely thin cutlets if the chicken is slightly chilled first. You can place the chicken breasts in the freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes. You don’t want them frozen just firm enough that your knife can make clean, controlled slices.

Place a chicken breast flat on your cutting board and, using a sharp knife, carefully slice horizontally through the breast. Depending on how large and thick your chicken breasts are, you can usually get or five even six thin cutlets from each one. There’s no need to pound them afterward.

In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with finely grated Parmesan and seasonings. You don’t need milk for this breading. In a second shallow dish, add the breadcrumbs. Dip each seasoned chicken cutlet into the egg and Parmesan mixture, allow the excess to drip off, and then coat it thoroughly in breadcrumbs. Gently press the breadcrumbs onto the chicken so they adhere without creating an overly thick coating.

Once all the chicken is breaded, arrange the cutlets in a single layer and refrigerate them for about 15 minutes. This little resting period gives the breading time to set and helps it stay attached when the chicken hits the hot oil.

Heat about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet. Because the chicken is so thin, it cooks quickly. Fry until the first side is crisp and golden, flip, and finish the second side. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a wire rack while you finish the remaining chicken.

For the garlic Parmesan sauce, melt the butter with a little olive oil over low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook gently just until it becomes fragrant. You don’t want the garlic to brown. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the Parmesan, parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

Now you have two options. If you want to preserve as much of that crisp breading as possible, pour the garlic Parmesan sauce into a bowl and serve it alongside the cutlets for dipping. If you want them more like garlic Parmesan wings, place the hot cutlets in a large bowl, drizzle the sauce over them and gently toss until every cutlet gets a light coating. Finish with additional Parmesan and parsley before serving.

Ingredient Notes

Chicken breasts: Larger chicken breasts work particularly well because you can slice them horizontally into multiple thin cutlets. Slightly chilling the chicken beforehand makes thin slicing much easier.

Parmesan: I recommend freshly and finely grated Parmesan rather than the shelf-stable powdered variety. We’re using it in both the breading mixture and the sauce, so its flavor really comes through.

Breadcrumbs: Regular fine breadcrumbs give these cutlets more of that classic Italian cutlet texture. Panko can be substituted if you want a crunchier crust.

Eggs: The eggs are mixed directly with Parmesan and act as the binder for the breadcrumbs. There’s no flour layer and no milk needed.

Garlic: Fresh garlic is important in the sauce. Six average cloves will give you approximately 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, which gives the butter plenty of garlic flavor without relying entirely on garlic powder.

Oil: You don’t have to fry these exclusively in olive oil. A neutral frying oil works beautifully, or you can combine neutral oil with light/refined olive oil for a little more olive oil flavor.

Lemon: A small amount of lemon juice helps cut through the richness of the butter and Parmesan without turning this into a lemon-flavored sauce.

Tips for The Best Chicken Cutlets

Chill before slicing. Give the chicken 20 to 30 minutes in the freezer before slicing. Firm chicken is much easier to cut into consistently thin pieces.

Use a sharp knife. A long, sharp knife allows you to slice horizontally through the breast rather than sawing through it and creating uneven pieces.

Skip the flour. You don’t need it here. Patting the chicken dry before dipping it into the Parmesan and egg mixture helps the coating adhere.

Let the breading rest. Refrigerating the breaded chicken for about 15 minutes gives the coating time to set and helps prevent it from sliding off during frying.

Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Adding too many cold cutlets at once drops the oil temperature. Fry in batches so the breading gets crisp and golden rather than absorbing excess oil.

Use a wire rack. Letting freshly fried chicken sit directly on paper towels can trap steam underneath. A wire rack allows air to circulate so both sides stay crisp.

Toss right before serving. If you choose the saucy version, wait until you’re ready to eat before tossing the cutlets with the garlic Parmesan sauce. You’ll get all that buttery garlic flavor while the breading still has some crunch.

What To Serve with Garlic Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Because the chicken is crispy, buttery and savory, I like sides that either complement all that Parmesan or provide some contrast. If you want to serve these cutlets the way I did, pair them with my Sambal Arrabbiata Pasta. The spicy, garlicky tomato sauce is such a good contrast to the buttery garlic Parmesan chicken. You get crispy, savory chicken alongside saucy pasta with plenty of heat, making the two feel like they were meant to be on the same plate. You could also serve the cutlets with roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes or crispy fries to soak up any extra garlic Parmesan sauce.

For something fresher, a simple green salad with a bright lemon vinaigrette works especially well against the rich sauce. Roasted broccoli, green beans or asparagus would also make this an easy complete dinner.

And if you want to turn these into sandwiches, tuck a cutlet into a toasted Italian roll with shredded lettuce and a little garlic Parmesan sauce on the side for dipping.

Kitchen Tools

• Sharp chef’s or slicing knife
• Large cutting board
• Shallow bowls for breading
• Large skillet
• Tongs
• Sheet pan
• Wire cooling rack
• Large mixing bowl, if tossing the cutlets in sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make chicken cutlets without pounding the chicken?

Yes. That’s exactly how I make these. Slightly chill the chicken and use a sharp knife to slice each breast horizontally into very thin cutlets. Aim for approximately 1/8-inch thick.

Do I need flour for chicken cutlets?

Not for this recipe. The chicken goes directly into the Parmesan and egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs.

Do I need to add milk to the eggs?

No. The eggs and Parmesan work perfectly on their own. If the mixture becomes unusually thick, you can loosen it with a very small splash of water.

Can I bread the chicken ahead of time?

Yes. I actually recommend refrigerating the breaded cutlets for 15 to 30 minutes before frying. It helps the breading set.

Do I have to fry the chicken in olive oil?

No. You can use a neutral frying oil, light/refined olive oil or a combination of the two.

How do I keep the chicken crispy after frying?

Transfer each batch to a wire rack rather than stacking the cutlets. If you’re tossing them with sauce, do it immediately before serving.

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