These air fryer chicken cutlets are crispy, juicy and ready in under 30 minutes. They are made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients and taste just like fried chicken, but without all the oil or mess. Serve them with mashed potatoes, pasta, or a side of veggies.
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What is a Chicken Cutlet Anyway?
Chicken cutlet is simply a boneless chicken breast that has been sliced in half horizontally and gently pounded for even thickness. It cooks quickly and evenly while staying juicy inside.
You can buy chicken cutlets in the grocery store, but I usually make my own. Simply slice boneless chicken breasts in half horizontally and then pound them slightly if needed. It's that simple. Making your own chicken cutlets is cheaper, and it also gives you more control over the thickness and the size of the cutlets.
Chicken cutlets are often breaded and pan-fried in oil until golden and crispy. Since I got the air fryer, I stopped frying them in oil. Air fryer cooks then faster, without much mess and less oil. The coating comes out very crispy and light, while the meat is so juicy inside. They are kind of a lighter, thinner version of chicken schnitzel or fried chicken.
If you are looking for a lighter version without the breading, try my air fryer thin sliced chicken breasts.
Ingredients
You can find the ingredients quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken cutlets: boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced into cutlets.
- Flour: it helps to create a barrier between the chicken and the egg, ensuring that the egg coating sticks better to the chicken.
- Eggs: bind the coating ingredients while keeping the meat juicy inside.
- Plain breadcrumbs: add a crunchy texture to the coating. The combination of flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs helps to ensure that the coating does not fall off the chicken.
- Seasonings: I usually use salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. You can use other herbs and spices you like.
- Cooking oil spray is used to coat the air fryer basket, so the chicken does not stick.
How to make it
Step 1. Skip this step if you already have thinly sliced chicken cutlets. Place the chicken breast flat on the cutting board and use the knife to slice through the middle of the breast, creating two thin halves. If the chicken cutlets have a very uneven thickness (one end is very thin, while the other one is too thick), use a meat pounder or rolling pin to gently pound each cutlet. Otherwise, I do not pound them.
Step 2. Prepare a station for breading. You will need 3 shallow dishes. In the first one, add flour and seasonings; in the second one, add eggs and whisk them; in the third one, add bread crumbs. Arrange them in order on the counter. This step will make the process easier and quicker.
Step 3. Start working on breading using the station described in the second step. Follow the following order for crispy and golden crust: coat chicken breast lightly in a flour and seasoning mix. Shake off gently the access flour.
Next, dip the chicken cutlet into the whisked eggs, making sure to fully coat it on both sides.
Finally, place the chicken cutlet in the dish with the breadcrumbs, making sure to fully coat it on both sides. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken cutlets. You can keep breaded chicken cutlets on parchment paper. If you decide to fry them later, transfer them to the fridge.
Step 4. Preheat the air fryer to 400F for about 3-4 minutes. Spray the basket with cooking spray. Place 2-3 chicken cutlets in a basket without overcrowding. Cook the chicken for 10-12 minutes, flipping them once halfway through until they are golden brown and crispy on both sides. The internal temperature needs to reach at least 165°F. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.
Recipe tips
- Preheat the air fryer: this is one of the recipes where I recommend preheating the air fryer to ensure the chicken comes out crispy.
- Use non-aerosole cooking spray: regular cooking oil spray can demage the air fryer coating. You can also use a small brush or a paper towel to lightly coat the chicken cutlets with oil. prevent them from sticking to the air fryer basket.
- Even thickness: if the chicken cutlets do not have even thickness, pound them with a mallet or a rolling pin. This will help them to cook evenly.
- Do not over-crowd the air fryer basket: cook the chicken cutlets in batches (2-3 at a time). Overcrowding will result in less crispy chicken.
- Flip the chicken cutlets: This will help them look golden brown on both sides and cook more evenly.
- Internal temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken cutlets to ensure that they have reached 165°F. It prevents them from being under-cooked or over-cooked.
How to store and reheat
Always cool down the cutlets completely before placing them in the fridge to prevent them from getting soggy.
To keep them crisp, wrap them first with foil or plastic wrap. Place wrapped cutlets in the airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat:
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the cutlets from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Place the cutlets on a baking sheet. Bake the cutlets in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they're heated through.
- Air fryer: Set the air fryer to 375°F and let it preheat for about 5 minutes.Arrange the cutlets in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. Reheat the cutlets for about 4-6 minutes, flipping them halfway until they're heated through and crispy.
Seasoning variations
Experiment with different combinations to find your favorite. Below are a few of our favorite seasonings:
- Italian (mild): Use a mixture of dried basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic powder for an Italian-style seasoning.
- Mexican (spicy): Combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper for a spicy Mexican-style seasoning.
- Cajun (spicy): Mix paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried thyme for a Cajun-style seasoning.
- Lemon pepper (mild): Combine lemon zest, black pepper, and garlic powder for a tangy and aromatic lemon pepper seasoning.
Cost-saving tip
Get whole chicken breasts and slice them in thin cutlets yourself instead of per-packaged cutlets. This will save you between $1-$2. You can also use leftover bread to make your own bread crumbs. Frozen bread also works.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can bake them for about 17-20 minutes in the preheated to 400°F oven or fry the min oil. For best results, bake them on lightly oiled parchment paper. Flip the cutlets once halfway through baking.
Yes, but you will need to completely thaw frozen chicken cutlets, as the breading will not properly stick to the frozen chicken.
More air fryer chicken recipes
- Air fryer lemon pepper chicken drumsticks
- Air Fryer frozen chicken breasts
- Air fryer chicken quarters
- Air fryer crispy chicken tenderloins
- Air fryer homemade chicken patties
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Air fryer chicken breast bites
Estimated Total Cost: ~ $11.45 for 4 servings
Cost per serving: ~2.85
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer I used Ninja XL
- 3 shallow dishes for breading station
- 1 Measuring Cup
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 ea chicken breasts ($10.15)
- ½ cup all purpose flour ($0.10)
- 2 eggs ($0.65)
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs ($0.40)
- ½ teaspoon salt ($0.02)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder ($0.03)
- ½ teaspoon paprika ($0.05)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper ($0.05)
- 1 tablespoon non-aerosol cooking spray or oil ($ 0.15)
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into cutlets or use store bought chicken cutlets.
- Prepare the dishes for breading: line up 3 shallow dishes on your kitchen counter. In the first dish, mix all-purpose flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper. Fill the second dish with whisked eggs, and the third dish with breadcrumbs.
- Take one chicken cutlet and lightly coat it in the flour, making sure to shake off any excess. Next, dip the chicken cutlet into the whisked eggs. After that, place the chicken cutlet in the dish with the breadcrumbs, fully coating it on both sides. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken cutlets. If cooking in batches, place breaded chicken cutlets on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Preheat the air fryer and spray the basket with cooking oil. Place 2-3 cutlets at a time in a preheated basket. Air fry at 400°F for 5 minutes. Flip the cutlets and cook for another 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reached 165°F. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
Notes
- The cooking time for the chicken cutlets may vary based on the thickness of the cutlets and the specific model of your air fryer. Check the cutlets frequently and adjust the cooking time as needed.
- Feel free to experiment with different seasonings and spices to add your own personal touch to this recipe.
- Serve the crispy chicken cutlets with your favorite sides, such as roasted vegetables, a salad, or mashed potatoes.
- Leftover chicken cutlets can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven until crispy before serving.
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