Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets Recipe
These Crispy Chicken Cutlets are a quick and delicious dinner option featuring thinly sliced chicken breasts coated in seasoned flour, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs, then air fried to golden perfection. The result is a hot, crunchy, juicy, and salty cutlet that’s perfect on its own or dipped in your favorite sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken Cutlets
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce like Frank’s RedHot (optional)
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Avocado oil spray
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Slice each chicken breast into 3 thin pieces by first cutting off the tenderloin on the back and then slicing the remaining breast horizontally in half. Season all pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Prepare dredging stations: Set up three wide, shallow bowls – one with flour, one with beaten eggs mixed with hot sauce, and one with panko breadcrumbs. Season the flour and panko bowls with 1/2 teaspoon salt each for added flavor.
- Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken piece first into the seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Press into the panko breadcrumbs, turning to fully coat. Place coated pieces on a plate.
- Apply oil: Spray each coated piece evenly with avocado oil spray to promote golden, even browning during cooking.
- Air fry the cutlets: Arrange the cutlets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F for 6 minutes, then increase to 400°F and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the cutlets are crispy and golden and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Cook in batches as necessary for even cooking.
- Serve and enjoy: Serve hot and crispy, perfect for dipping or with your choice of sauce. Enjoy the salty, crunchy, juicy delight of these cutlets!
Notes
- You can substitute traditional breadcrumbs for panko; they yield a tighter, finer crust but are equally delicious.
- For frying instead of air frying: heat about 1 inch of avocado oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles on contact, add the chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to 165°F internal temperature.
- If you don’t have avocado oil spray for air frying, a light drizzle of oil evenly spread over the cutlets works well, but spray ensures the most even browning.
- To bake the cutlets: place them on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through (9 minutes per side), until cooked through and crispy.
