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Baked breaded chicken cutlets are crispy and absolutely packed with tender, juicy flavor. It’s got all the crispy, tasty goodness of fried chicken but none of the greasy feeling on your fingers. You can bake or air fry them.
These chicken cutlets have all the flavor of fried chicken or schnitzel—just lighter and healthier with less oil. They’re quick, perfect for weeknights, and great as leftovers for salads, sandwiches, or the freezer.
Oven Baked Chicken Cutlets
We coat the chicken in a Parmesan mix and bake or air fry until perfectly crispy and golden. It’s flavorful, healthier, and totally delicious—no deep frying needed! We recommend serving them with classic sides. Garlic Mashed Potatoes, roast veggies like Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Ingredients for Oven Baked Chicken Cutlets
You’ll need ingredients for both the garlic mayo and the dredge. Use high-quality chicken breast for the best texture.
- For the garlic mayo: mayo, garlic, lemon pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
- For the dredge: grated Parmesan and Italian breadcrumbs—store-bought or homemade, your choice.
How To Make Breaded Chicken in the Oven
- First, preheat your oven to 400°F | 200°C.
- Before any cooking goes ahead, you need to make your garlic mayo. Add the spices, mayonnaise, and pressed garlic cloves in a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Next, make the dredge. Simply combine your dredge ingredients in another large bowl.
- Divide the mayo mixture between the chicken fillets and rub all over the chicken.
- To dredge the chicken, use a pair of tongs. Be sure to get a good covering on both sides of the chicken cutlet.
- Next, place the dredged cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and spray the chicken with a non stick cooking spray.
- Now it’s time to bake! Bake the chicken cutlets for 12-15 minutes at 400°F | 200°C. Then you’ll flip the chicken, baking it for another six minutes. At this point the chicken should have a uniform golden brown color, and be cooked all the way through. Using an instant read meat thermometer, check its internal temperature. Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F to be cooked through.
Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Cutlets
- Preheat your air fryer.
- Place the breaded chicken fillets into your air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray and air fry for 8-10 minutes at 400°F | 200°C. Flip each cutlet over after 5 minutes, spray with more cooking spray and continue cooking until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. The cooking time may vary depending on the size and thickness of your cutlets and air fryer. You may need to cook the chicken in batches not to overcrowd the basket.
Recipe Tips
- Avoid dredging your chicken too early. You want to dredge the chicken cutlets only moments before you bake or air fry them. If you go too early, your breadcrumbs will become soggy from sitting on the moist surface of the chicken. This makes them go soft and stops them from becoming crispy and crunchy.
- Generously coat the chicken cutlets in cooking spray. This spray covering helps the chicken’s dredged surface to become crispy and flaky, just the way we like it. It’s like fried chicken, only healthier!
- Cut your chicken cutlets evenly. Although not all chicken breasts are the same size, you should aim to have uniform sizing across your cutlets. You want them all about the same size and thickness to ensure that they all cook evenly. If not, some will be cooked while others are still pink in the middle.
How Long to Bake Chicken in the Oven?
Cooking time depends on cutlet thickness—thinner cooks faster, thicker takes longer. Aim for about ½ inch thick for best results, and adjust time as needed.
Absolutely! These are great for reheating. You can save time before baking – and seriously ramp up the flavor profile of your chicken – by marinating the cutlets overnight in garlic mayo or a few hours before baking. You should save your dredging for right before it’s baking time to ensure that you get beautiful, crispy chicken cutlets.
Store cooked chicken cutlets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months and reheat in the oven when ready. Don’t refrigerate uncooked, dredged cutlets—they’ll get soggy.
Looking for More Chicken Breast Recipes? Try These!!!
- Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Smothered Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken and Vegetables
- Grilled Pesto Chicken Bruschetta
- Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Ground Chicken Burgers
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Baked Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- 3 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, thin-sliced horizontally to make 6 fillets
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F | 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rack in the sheet.
- In a medium bowl combine the mayo with garlic, lemon pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, paprika and salt. Keep aside.
- In a separate shallow bowl mix together the breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese.
- Divide the mayo mixture between the chicken fillets and rub all over the chicken.
- Now using tongs dredge the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture and place it on the baking sheet ( lined with parchment paper) with rack.
- Spray the chicken with cooking oil spray and bake in the preheated oven at 400°F | 200°C for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through, or internal temperature reaches 165°F. Flip the chicken over after 6-7 minutes of cooking.
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Air Fryer Method
- Preheat your air fryer.
- Place the breaded chicken fillets into your air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray and air fry for 8-10 minutes at 400°F | 200°C. Flip each cutlet over after 5 minutes, spray with more cooking spray and continue cooking until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. The cooking time may vary depending on the size and thickness of your cutlets and air fryer. You may need to cook the chicken in batches not to overcrowd the basket.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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