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Breaded Chicken Cutlets (aka Grandma Jody's Chicken)

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Breaded Chicken Cutlets (aka Grandma Jody's Chicken)Jennifer Causey
  • Total Time

    25 minutes

In spite of my desire to never eat breaded chicken cutlets again, this was the first meal I ever made for Andy (at twenty-two, my meal repertoire was about as varied as my dad's) and in the years since, the chicken has proven to be a real lifesaver in the slap-it-together weeknight meal department. Plus, if you have this in your repertoire, you can make "chicken pizza," chicken Milanese (just top with an arugula and tomato salad that has been tossed with oil and vinegar), and real chicken fingers.

Ingredients

Few generous glugs of olive oil (5 to 6 tablespoons), more as necessary (you are not deep-frying here, but pretty close)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs or Kellogg's Corn Flake Crumbs that have been salted and peppered (see note)
4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds), rinsed and patted dry and pounded like crazy

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Add the oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat.

    Step 2

    Set up your dredging stations: one rimmed plate for the eggs, one plate for the flour, and one plate for the bread crumbs. Using a fork, coat your chicken pieces first in the flour (shaking off any excess), then in the egg, then in the crumbs, pressing the chicken into the crumbs to thoroughly coat.

    Step 3

    Fry each breast in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (I usually do two at a time, but I've been known to cram all of them in at once and then spend the entire meal wishing I had just sucked it up and waited the 6 extra minutes.) The cutlets are cooked when chicken is firm to the touch but not rock hard.

    Step 4

    Remove and drain the chicken onto a paper-towel-lined dinner plate tented with foil if you have more pieces to fry. Add more oil to the pan and fry the remaining breasts.

Note:

Feel free to add any of the following to the bread crumbs: a pinch of cayenne, a teaspoon dry mustard, fresh thyme or oregano leaves, some ground flax, sesame seeds, or freshly grated Parmesan.

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  • I personally am not a cook but this recipe was easy enough for me to do. I didn't pound the chicken (trying to shortcut the recipe) and that was a big mistake. I put them in the oven for about 20 minutes after that. If you aren't going to pound it, then try cooking it in the oven for a bit before adding the breading. Timing is everything when frying the breading on so watch yourself or you might burn the breading. The parts I didn't burn were tasty and you can always add other spices into the breading to change it up a bit.

    • valliam

    • Eustis, FL

    • 12/17/2019

  • Wonderful, basic recipe that's appreciated. Not everyone who visits epicurious is experienced in the kitchen, and so should be commended and encouraged for making the effort to learn. That said, it's rude beyond belief to berate this site for remembering their needs as well. Please find other outlets for your negativity. I'm sure I speak for others when I say we're not impressed by it.

    • keepintime

    • 7/20/2016

  • KISS! Keep It Simple Stupid! This is the recipe I grew up with in my grandma's kitchen. You can doctor up any recipe but don't knock a recipe because it is not complex. Judge the recipe by the reaction of those eating it. The only change I made is I used Italian seasoned bread crumbs.

    • CarolinaDreaming

    • Long Island, N.Y.

    • 11/11/2014

  • Please don't be so fast to crack on the simple. My wife is working on her doctorate degree and working full time so I'll be doing the cooking. I need the simple recipes because I work full time. Maybe epicurious can start a special section for the culinary challenged.

    • mike3000

    • 8/19/2013

  • test review

    • epiprod1

    • 10/24/2012

  • This is great!

    • Anonymous

    • 10/8/2012

  • I use salad dressing in place of egg and then coat with corn flake crumbs, sprinkle paprika on top and a little melted butter and bake in over for 40 minutes at 350. Much healthier.

    • Carolnan

    • Florida

    • 9/28/2012

  • This recipe, as is, doesn't belong on epicurious. If you featured an "Easy Starter Recipe" section, well, then maybe. I've been making chicken cutlets dipped in egg whites and then into a mixture of half panko crumbs, half freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese then frying in a combination of peanut and olive oil. A family favorite for 20 years.

    • Anonymous

    • Franklin, MI

    • 9/26/2012

  • Lame. I thought the '50s were over. What's next...lime Jello and miniature marshmallows? Could you please stop dumbing down this site with recipes that belong in The Weekly Reader.

    • TorontoTuna

    • 9/25/2012

  • This is every Grandma's recipe! It's great for nubees who haven't had much experience in that it is basic and accurate. Panko is fairly new on the food scene and is my go to crumb as well.

    • dott1949

    • Upstate NY

    • 9/24/2012

  • Too much fat with these ingredients. Panko crumbs could be used instead, fake eggs would work and they could be "fried" in a convenction oven with good results. Better for Heart healthy diets!!!!

    • Anonymous

    • Va

    • 9/24/2012

  • please stop putting simple well known recipes in Epicurious. It is so frustrating to look at the so called recipe of the day to find such drivel. dont dumb down Epicurious

    • mont

    • 9/24/2012

  • This is a staple at my house. I use panko, mixed with s/p, garlic powder, parsley and whatever else I feel like, (crushed red pepper!). My flavor trick is to use dijon mustard in place of the egg. It holds the crumbs on beautifully and adds so much flavor. After chicken is sautéed, make pan sauce with chicken stock, more mustard and a pat of butter. My family eats this up.

    • Anonymous

    • 9/24/2012

  • Generations of most Italian families have made this with chicken, pork, fish...but we just use Italian flavored breadcrumbs (homemade, store-bought or Panko). I slice the chicken thin and don't need to pound them down. It saves a lot of time and they are just fine. I add a cut clove of garlic to the oil as it's heating and remove it when it begins to color to add more flavor to the oil. We squeeze fresh lemon on the cutlets at the table. Cooked, they will keep frozen for a few months for use in other recipes. Pull a few out and put in the fridge in the morning, top with tomato sauce & shredded mozzarella that night, pop under the broiler till golden and you can have weeknight chicken parmesan in less than 15 minutes!

    • jakemike

    • Apex, NC

    • 9/24/2012

  • Beeing an spaniard I make this dish whatever we go to a picnic.But,I add some garlic powder & parseley to the "fresh " ground bread crumbs. just like my mother just to make. Great at room temperature & a glass of vine.

    • julianam

    • Az

    • 9/24/2012

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