Baked Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Baked breaded chicken cutlets are one of the most versatile items you can make in the kitchen. They work equally well as a main meal, a snack, a salad topping, or as the base for dishes like Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Cordon Bleu. They store and reheat well, and when you serve them, they tend to disappear quickly.

Why make them at home

Making breaded chicken cutlets from whole chicken breasts is economical and surprisingly simple. Preparing a large batch requires planning for time and ingredients, but the process is straightforward: slice the breasts into cutlets, set up a wet and dry station for breading, and then bake. Doing this at home lets you control seasoning, thickness and texture so you get consistent results every time.

Ingredients & Equipment

• 10 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 eggs
• 15-ounce container Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Italian grated cheese
• 1/4 cup ground black pepper (optional; adds a peppery kick)
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Parchment paper, baking pans and two forks
• Preheated oven at 350°F (175°C)

Creating the chicken cutlets

If your grocery store sells pre-sliced cutlets, you can use those, but slicing your own from whole breasts saves money and lets you control thickness. From each thick breast you can typically slice two to three cutlets. Trim any excess fat or loose pieces and save the trimmings for making stock or gravy.

1. Place the breast on a cutting board. Starting at the thick end, hold the knife parallel to the board and slice through the breast to form a cutlet.
   

   Place the chicken breast on the cutting board with the knife parallel to the cutting board

2. Slice through the breast while using your other hand to steady it. Keep the knife parallel to maintain even thickness.
   

   With the knife parallel to the cutting board, slice through the chicken breast with your other hand providing pressure

3. Continue until you have a cutlet. Repeat as needed to produce cutlets of roughly the same thickness (size will vary).
   

   Dependent upon the thickness of the chicken breast, two to three chicken cutlets can be created

Preparing the wet and dry ingredients

1. Crack eight eggs into a shallow dish and scramble them to create the egg wash.
   

   Eight eggs cracked in a shallow dish

2. Combine the bread crumbs, grated Italian cheese and black pepper in a larger shallow dish and mix thoroughly.
   

   Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs, Italian Grated Cheese and Ground Black Pepper

Breading the chicken cutlets

Work in small batches so you can soak two to three cutlets in the egg wash at a time. This keeps the process manageable and prevents the breading from becoming soggy.

1. Soak each cutlet in the egg wash, flipping once so both sides are coated.
   

   Chicken cutlets soaking in an egg wash

2. Let excess egg drip back into the dish, then place the cutlet into the breading mixture. Press the cutlet into the crumbs with a fork to help the coating adhere.
   

   Chicken cutlet with an egg wash pressed into the breading mixture

3. Cover the top with more breading and pat it down so the crumbs adhere. Flip and repeat to bread both sides.
   

   Chicken cutlet covered with the breading mixture

   

   Chicken cutlet breaded on both sides

4. Place each breaded cutlet on a parchment-lined baking pan, spacing them evenly. Continue until the pan is full.
   

   Breaded chicken cutlets on parchment paper

Baking the breaded chicken cutlets

1. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the top of the cutlets and bake at 350°F for about nine minutes. While this tray bakes, prepare the next batch.


Breaded chicken cutlets drizzled with olive oil

2. Remove the pan after nine minutes, flip each cutlet, drizzle a little more olive oil, and return to the oven for another nine minutes.
   

   Half baked chicken cutlets after nine minutes in the oven

   

   Half baked chicken cutlets with more drizzled olive oil

3. When baking is complete, remove the pan, lift the parchment paper off the sheet, and allow the cutlets to cool slightly before serving or storing.
   

   Fully cooked baked breaded chicken cutlets fresh from the oven

Serving and storage

These baked cutlets pair well with pasta and marinara for a quick Chicken Parmesan, with ham and cheese for a simple Cordon Bleu, or sliced over salads and sandwiches. Let cutlets cool before refrigerating. They reheat well in a hot oven or air fryer to restore crispiness.

With a little planning, making baked breaded chicken cutlets at home is efficient and rewarding. The result is a flavorful, crispy exterior and juicy interior that will become a staple in your meal rotation.