Call it schnitzel, pan-fried, chicken cutlets - we call it dinner MVP. There’s a lot to love when a crisp, golden brown coating meets juicy, delicious chicken breasts. You don’t need an industrial deep fryer to turn chicken into an absurdly crispy, plate-size masterpiece. For a little punch, feel free to add cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Overall cook time:
- 30 - 40 minutes
- Servings:
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless, Skinless Pasture-Raised Chicken Breasts
- ¾ Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Pasture-Raised Eggs, beaten
- 1 ¼ Cups Panko Breadcrumbs
- ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- 4 Ounces Arugula
- 1 Lemon, halved
Chef Tip! To keep your hands clean during the breading process, designate one hand for dry ingredients and the other hand for wet ingredients. The dry hand is for the flour and breadcrumbs, while the wet hand is for the eggs. Avoid mixing them up or you'll successfully have breaded your hands!
Instructions
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Prepare the Chicken
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Line one sheet pan with parchment paper and another sheet pan with paper towels.
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Place one chicken breast with the underside facing up on a cutting board.
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Lightly rub one side of a parchment with olive oil and place it, oil slide down, on top of the breast. Pound the underside of the breast with a kitchen mallet (or an empty glass jar) until it’s evenly about ½ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining breasts.
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Set Up the Breading Station & Bread the Chicken
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Season the pounded breasts with salt on both sides. Place the flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs each into a separate shallow dish. Stir the paprika into the flour. Stir the Parmesan cheese into the breadcrumbs. Season the flour and breadcrumb-cheese mixture with salt and pepper.
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Working one at a time, thoroughly coat the seasoned breast into the seasoned flour (shaking off the excess). Then coat both sides in the beaten eggs (letting the excess drip off), then in the breadcrumb-cheese mixture (pressing to adhere and shaking off the excess). Set aside and repeat with the remaining breasts.
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Cook the Chicken
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In a pan, heat a thin layer of olive oil on medium-high until hot. (The oil is hot enough when a pinch of breadcrumbs immediately sizzles when added to the pan.)
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Add as many coated chicken breasts as you can fit into the pan in a single layer (you may have to work in batches).
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Cook until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel plate. If necessary, add more oil to the pan as necessary and cook the remaining breasts. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve immediately.
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Dress the Arugula & Serve
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While the chicken cooks, in a bowl, combine the arugula with the juice of half a lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss to thoroughly coat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the cooked chicken and dressed arugula between dishes.
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