Ingredients
Method
- Prep the chicken: Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and slice horizontally through the middle to create thinner cutlets (about ½-inch thick). If any are still uneven, pound them gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about ½ inch throughout. This ensures even cooking — no more burning one edge while waiting for the center to cook through.
- Set up your breading station: Arrange three shallow dishes in a row: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and a mixture of Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in the third.
- Bread the cutlets: Season each chicken cutlet with salt on both sides. Dredge in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg wash (let any extra drip off), then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to coat completely. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat until all cutlets are breaded. If you're not cooking right away, refrigerate them uncovered for up to 2 hours — this is what keeps the crumbs from falling off during cooking.
- Cook the chicken: Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (about 375°F). Add half of the cutlets — don't crowd the pan; work in batches if needed. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat with remaining cutlets, adding more butter as needed.
- Make the sauce: In the same skillet (don't clean it — that fond is flavor), reduce heat to medium-low. Add 2 tablespoons butter and minced garlic; cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for about 1 minute until slightly reduced.
- Finish: Remove skillet from heat and stir in heavy cream. Return the cooked cutlets to the pan, spooning sauce over them. Top with chopped parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Notes
I keep this in my regular rotation because the whole thing takes about thirty minutes from start to finish, but more importantly because it turns out reliably every time. I serve these with anything from roasted potatoes to a simple green salad, and they work whether I'm feeding two people or six. The trick is breading them ahead and keeping them refrigerated until you're ready — that gives the crumbs a chance to set so they don't fall off during cooking.
I usually make extra cutlets on purpose because they reheat beautifully in a 400°F oven for about ten minutes, which saves me from having to cook again when I want dinner on the table quickly. The parmesan gives them a nutty depth that makes simple chicken feel like something worth writing home about.