Rita's Chicken Cutlets
Rita's Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs, divided
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, or Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or preferred cooking oil, as needed for frying
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast on a cutting board. Carefully slice each breast horizontally through the middle to create two thinner cutlets. You should have a total of 4 cutlets.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken cutlets into a large bowl. Pour the Italian dressing over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for more flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Set up dredging stations: Prepare three separate shallow dishes or bowls. In the first dish, crack and whisk the 2 large eggs until well combined. In the second dish, add 1 cup of the Italian breadcrumbs. In the third dish, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs with the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano), mixing well.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Dredge the chicken: Take one marinated chicken cutlet and allow any excess dressing to drip off. Dip the cutlet entirely into the whisked eggs, ensuring it is fully coated. Next, transfer the egg-coated chicken to the dish with the plain Italian breadcrumbs. Press down firmly on both sides to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere well. Finally, transfer the breaded chicken to the third dish containing the breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese mixture. Press firmly again to coat both sides thoroughly. Repeat this dredging process for all remaining chicken cutlets.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Cook the chicken: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil (or preferred cooking oil) to generously cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/2 inch deep. Once the oil is hot and shimmering (a small piece of breadcrumb should sizzle immediately when dropped in), carefully place 2-3 breaded chicken cutlets into the pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Fry the cutlets: Fry the chicken cutlets for 3-5 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Use tongs to carefully flip the cutlets to cook evenly on both sides. You may need to add more oil between batches if necessary.
⏱️ 12 min
- 7
Drain excess oil: Once cooked, remove the chicken cutlets from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Serve: The chicken cutlets are now ready to be served immediately with your favorite sides.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Rita's Chicken Cutlets
- 2 pounds chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs, divided
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, or Pecorino Romano
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or preferred cooking oil, as needed for frying
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Place each chicken breast on a cutting board. Carefully slice each breast horizontally through the middle to create two thinner cutlets. You should have a total of 4 cutlets.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken cutlets into a large bowl. Pour the Italian dressing over the chicken, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for more flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Set up dredging stations: Prepare three separate shallow dishes or bowls. In the first dish, crack and whisk the 2 large eggs until well combined. In the second dish, add 1 cup of the Italian breadcrumbs. In the third dish, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of Italian breadcrumbs with the 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano), mixing well.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Dredge the chicken: Take one marinated chicken cutlet and allow any excess dressing to drip off. Dip the cutlet entirely into the whisked eggs, ensuring it is fully coated. Next, transfer the egg-coated chicken to the dish with the plain Italian breadcrumbs. Press down firmly on both sides to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere well. Finally, transfer the breaded chicken to the third dish containing the breadcrumb and Parmesan cheese mixture. Press firmly again to coat both sides thoroughly. Repeat this dredging process for all remaining chicken cutlets.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Cook the chicken: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil (or preferred cooking oil) to generously cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/2 inch deep. Once the oil is hot and shimmering (a small piece of breadcrumb should sizzle immediately when dropped in), carefully place 2-3 breaded chicken cutlets into the pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Fry the cutlets: Fry the chicken cutlets for 3-5 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Use tongs to carefully flip the cutlets to cook evenly on both sides. You may need to add more oil between batches if necessary.
⏱️ 12 min - 7
Drain excess oil: Once cooked, remove the chicken cutlets from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Serve: The chicken cutlets are now ready to be served immediately with your favorite sides.