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Air fryer chicken cutlets are dredged in seasoned flour, breaded and air fried until they are ultra crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. Versatile breaded chicken cutlets air fryer is a base recipe. The crispy chicken cutlets can be served as a main dish or used in salads, sandwiches or served with pasta, rice or potatoes. Learn how to cook chicken cutlets in air fryer in about 25 minutes for a simple weeknight dish the whole family will love.
Part American, part Italian, crispy chicken cutlets have been a staple in many households for generations. This breaded chicken cutlets air fryer recipe lets you enjoy a simple meal that’s much healthier than its traditional pan fried counterpart. Pair the juicy, crunchy chicken with a few sides for an easy weeknight meal or add to sandwiches, slice over salad or layer with marinara and mozzarella. No matter how you serve them, air fryer chicken cutlets are sure to be a hit.
If you love crispy chicken then you will love my Crispy Oven Baked Popcorn Chicken, Crispy Honey Chicken, and my Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Cutlets Recipe
- It’s so crispy. The combination of the seasoned dredging flour with the egg and the panko yields incredibly crispy chicken cutlets.
- It’s healthy. Healthy fried chicken? You bet! Eliminate excess oil required when panfrying chicken. This breaded chicken cutlets air fryer recipe only requires a spritz of cooking oil.
- It’s fast. Go from fridge to plate in about 25 minutes and use these chicken cutlets in a variety of recipes.
Chicken Cutlets Ingredients
- Chicken: use boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Flour: use regular all-purpose flour.
- Seasonings: a combination of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, ground black pepper and salt season these crispy chicken cutlets.
- Egg: bring the egg to room temperature before whisking.
- Panko: these Japanese-style bread crumbs add lots of crunch. You can substitute standard breadcrumbs if you prefer.
- Parsley: chopped to garnish.
- Lemon Slices: for serving.
How To Make Chicken Cutlets in Air Fryer
- Pound the chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness.
- Prepare the seasoned flour: In a wide bowl combine flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, black pepper and salt. Keep it aside.
- Prepare egg wash and breading: Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl and place the panko bread crumbs in a separate bowl and keep it aside.
- Coat the chicken: Dredge the chicken in flour mixture and then egg and then to the breadcrumbs. Repeat the same with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Prepare the equipment: Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Air fry the chicken: Place the chicken cutlets in the air fryer basket and top the chicken with cooking spray as well. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping the chicken breasts halfway through until the chicken is cooked through and turned golden and crispy.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle some parsley on top and serve the crispy chicken cutlets with lemon slices on the side.
Tips To Make Air Fried Chicken Cutlets
- Preheat your air fryer for at least 3 minutes before adding the chicken.
- Leave space between the pieces of chicken and don’t allow them to overlap in the air fryer.
- Spray the chicken with a generous amount of cooking spray. This will help you get a golden, crispy crust.
- Cook the chicken in batches if necessary.
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
- If your chicken cutlets are particularly thin, check for doneness beginning around the 7 minutes mark.
- Hold cooked chicken cutlets in a 175 degrees F oven to keep warm while you finish cooking the chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken breasts that have been pounded to an even thickness will cook in about 10-12 minutes in the air fryer. Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer and cook chicken until it reaches 165 degrees F.
If you don’t have an air fryer you can bake these chicken cutlets. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and lightly spritz with oil. Bake 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time. Alternately, place the chicken on an oven proof baking rack for extra crispy crunch.
Flipping the chicken halfway through cooking helps you to achieve a beautiful, golden exterior and the crunch you expect in a breaded, fried chicken cutlet.
Store leftover chicken cutlets in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Crispy chicken cutlets can be reheated in a 375 degrees F air fryer for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through.
Flash freeze cutlets on a baking sheet until frozen solid. Individually wrap with plastic wrap and place in a zip lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets are super versatile and can be used in any recipe that calls for breaded chicken. To serve this as a meal add a few sides like Easy Baked Mac and Cheese, Mashed Potaotes, or Homemade Green Bean Casserole.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Rosemary Chicken Breast
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Strips
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Air Fryer boneless Chicken Thighs
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Breaded Chicken Cutlets Air Fryer recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Air fryer Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- 4 whole chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 whole egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ tsp Salt , to taste
- Chopped parsley, to garnish
- Lemon slices, to serve
Instructions
- Pound the chicken breasts to uniform thickness.
- In a wide bowl combine flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, black pepper and salt. Keep it aside.
- Whisk the egg in a shallow bowl and place the panko bread crumbs in a separate bowl and keep it aside.
- Dredge the chicken in flour mixture and then egg and then to the breadcrumbs. Repeat the same with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Place the chicken cutlets in the air fryer basket and top the chicken with cooking spray as well. Cook for 10-12 minutes flipping the chicken breasts halfway through until the chicken is cooked through and turned golden and crispy.
- Sprinkle some parsley on top and serve the crispy chicken cutlets with lemon slices on the side.
Notes
- Preheat your air fryer for at least 3 minutes before adding the chicken.
- Leave space between the pieces of chicken and don’t allow them to overlap in the air fryer.
- Spray the chicken with a generous amount of cooking spray. This will help you get a golden, crispy crust.
- Cook the chicken in batches if necessary.
- Always check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F.
- If your chicken cutlets are particularly thin, check for doneness beginning around the 7 minutes mark.
- Hold cooked chicken cutlets in a 175 degrees F oven to keep warm while you finish cooking the chicken.
