Fried Chicken Cutlets (and eggplant)

The process for chicken and eggplant is 99% the same so I'll go through both recipes here but picture chicken. Eggplant and chicken cutlets are staples of several recipes that include Parmesan, piccata, Marsala, rollatini, cordon bleu, and I'm sure you can think of others.

This is one of the kitchen rabbit holes I like on a nice blustery fall or winter day. I'll make a giant batch and freeze them in measured amounts for use in an abundance of recipes whenever the mood strikes.

There are two ways to approach seasoning, and two ways to approach frying:

First, if you use seasoned crumbs for coating, you might be limiting your options for how the cutlets get used in the future, so when I'm making them to freeze for future, I only season the breadcrumbs with salt and pepper. It's pretty simple to sprinkle the appropriate seasoning when you thaw them for a specific recipe in the future. f I'm planning to use them for a specific recipe right away, I'll season accordingly.

Secondly, you can pan-fry them or oven-fry them and both methods have their pros and cons. Pan-frying is messier and if you don't have a good exhaust fan can leave a lingering 'aroma' that loses it's appeal after a short time, but done properly at the right oil temperature is quick and delivers a crispy golden coating.

Baking is pretty foolproof but you might compromise a bit of the crispiness. That said, I still prefer the baking method because I think it's a bit healthier. Yet for this post I pan fried the chicken.

Let's talk coating next. For the second coating I use a 50 / 50 combination of breadcrumbs and panko to get what I think is the perfect texture. As far as seasonings and spices, the most generic is salt and pepper. For cordon bleu and Marsala, I add garlic, onion and parsley to the mix. For piccata I add lemon zest, and for parmesan or rollatini, I leave out the lemon zest but include oregano, basil, grated parmesan and or Romano cheese. I also use a first coating of corn starch (especially on chicken) before dipping in the egg. That's what I'm showing here, but you can certainly skip the corn starch if you want. I think it adds a dimension of crisp to the chicken.

For eggplant, I slice them lengthwise if I plan to roll for rollatini, but for most other recopies, I slice them into rounds. Thickness depends on what I'm using it for. If I'm just making to freeze for future use, my 'generic' thickness is 1/8". If I know I'm doing parmesan I go a bit thicker, but if rollatini or just fried crispy for an appetizer, I go thinner.

For chicken, I prefer tenders that I pound out into cutlets, it's less expensive than cutlets from the store and I can control the thickness.

THE RECIPE

Coating and egg wash for breading chicken cutlets

1lb chicken breast tenders

1 egg beaten

1/2c milk optional

1c corn starch

2-3c breadcrumbs / panko combination

A selection of Italian spices and herbs if not using seasoned breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil for frying

For Chicken:

Chicken tender before and after pounding

Between 2 pieces of wax paper, pound the tenders until they are a uniform thickness and between 2 and 3 times larger in area than when you started (1/8 to 1/4" thick) Pat them dry on both sides with paper towel.

For Eggplant:

Slice to your desired shape and thickness, 1/8" is generic and will work for most recipes. Oblong slices are best for rolling and round are good for just about everything else. After slicing, sprinkle one side of each slice with a bit of salt and place (salted side down on a cutting board covered with paper towels. Sprinkle the up-facing side of the eggplant with a bit more salt and cover with paper towels. Place another cutting board on top and add whatever you can to provide some extra weight. Let the eggplant rest for at least an hour to help remove some of the moisture.

For the coating

Set out one bowl with the corn starch

Whisk the egg and milk together in a bowl

In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and panko

Chicken tender coated in egg and bread crumb mixture

If seasoning yourself, add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, lemon zest, and parsley to taste.

Dust each piece in the corn starch (if using) and then into the egg mixture and then into the crumbs to coat well then set aside on a piece of waxed paper until ready to cook.

To pan-fry

Heat canola or olive oil about 1/2" deep in a deep frying pan until it reaches 375 degrees. Using tongs place a couple of pieces at into the oil. Turn after a couple of minutes when you see the edges getting golden.

When both sides are golden and it's cooked through, remove to drain on paper towels. You may need to add oil periodically and strain out any crumbs that dislodge from the coating. It's important to keep the oil temperature stable throughout the frying.

To oven-fry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with a silicon mat, parchment, or foil.

Coat lightly with cooking spray and place coated chicken or eggplant in a single layer on the sheet. Spray a second light coating of cooking spray on the up-facing side.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes before gently turning to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through and golden.

Whether you bake or fry, these fried chicken cutlets (or eggplant) will be a staple for SO many other dishes!