Panko-Parmigiano Chicken Cutlets

Serves 4 to 6

CHICKEN BREASTS ARE BORING, or so say all the serious food people. Never buy chicken breasts! Never, that is, unless you like crunchy, bronzed cutlets, in which case you should make these. The cutlets are endlessly versatile; I like to serve them with an arugula and fennel salad, with shaved strips of Parmigiano and a lemony vinaigrette, or on a sandwich, topped with a tangle of creamy coleslaw spiked with thin slices of jalapeño. You could also use them as the base of a killer chicken Parm—just layer the cutlets with marinara and mozzarella and bake until the cheese melts (or use the New Eggplant Parm approach here and serve the sauce alongside).

The chicken cutlets can be breaded and then frozen, uncooked, so a solid weeknight meal is always within reach. Freeze them on a wax-paper- or parchment-lined baking sheet; once frozen, transfer them to a freezer storage bag, where they’ll keep for a few months. They can be fried directly from the freezer, though they’ll take a few minutes longer to cook.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, beaten

1½ cups panko bread crumbs

½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Canola oil, for frying

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for finishing

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place one hand on the top of the chicken breast. With a sharp knife, cut it in half horizontally, cutting almost but not completely through to the other side, and open like a book.

Put the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap. Working from the center out, pound with the smooth side of a mallet or a rolling pin until the meat is ¼ inch thick. Season each piece on both sides with salt and pepper.

Put the flour in a cake pan or other rimmed dish. Put the beaten eggs in a separate cake pan or rimmed dish. In a third cake pan or rimmed dish, combine the bread crumbs and Parmigiano.

To avoid breading your fingers, maintain one dry hand and one wet hand. Using your dry hand, dip a cutlet in the flour and turn to coat, then transfer it to the beaten eggs. With your wet hand, turn the cutlet to coat, then transfer it to the panko mixture. With your dry hand, turn the cutlet to coat both sides, pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Heat ½ inch of oil in a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Set a wire cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet. When the oil is hot, add as many pieces of the chicken as will fit in the pan in a single layer. Fry the chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip and cook until golden brown on the second side, 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the wire cooling rack set over the rimmed baking sheet and put it in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil to the pan as necessary.

When all the chicken has been fried, transfer it to a platter and sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve hot, with lemon wedges alongside.