These Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. This easy and delicious gluten-free dinner option is perfect for busy weeknights!
Serve this chicken with Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette for a healthy, satisfying meal. Browse our entire collection of gluten-free recipes for more ideas.
These crispy chicken cutlets are made with a short list of simple ingredients. The prep is easy and the end result is family-friendly chicken that works for a variety of different meals.
This is precisely the kind of recipe that I find myself turning to over and over again.
These yummy Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets are a delicious choice the whole family will love, gluten intolerant or not.
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: For tender chicken cutlets with a crispy exterior, it’s vital to use chicken sliced and pounded to an even thickness. Even if you purchase thin-sliced chicken, it’s likely it will need to be pounded. See my detailed instructions below.
- Seasoning: Salt, freshly ground black pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder
- Large eggs: Beaten
- Bread crumbs: Plain (unseasoned) gluten-free panko bread crumbs. Thankfully, these are easy to find in most grocery stores and on Amazon from brands like Kikkoman.
- Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese adds great flavor to the breading.
- Olive oil: A small amount of oil is used to crisp up the breading as it bakes.
How to Cut Chicken Breasts into Cutlets
- Slice thick pieces of chicken in half, through the middle, to create two thinner cutlets.
- Place the chicken between pieces of plastic wrap. Then, use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken to an even thickness of no more than ¼-inch.
- If you end up with very large pieces, you can cut them in half for smaller serving size pieces.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets
- Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the seasonings and grated Parmesan. Season the pieces of chicken with a little salt and pepper, to taste.
- Coat a piece of chicken in the beaten egg, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl.
- Dredge the piece of chicken through the bread crumb mixture, pressing the mixture into the surface of the chicken. Repeat this process to bread the remaining chicken. As you work, place the breaded chicken cutlets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Drizzle the top of each chicken cutlet with a little olive oil, or for more even coverage, use an oil mister.
- Bake in a preheated 425 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Flip the cutlets over and drizzle with a little additional olive oil and continue to cook an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Alternate Cooking Methods
Pan-Fried: Coat a nonstick skillet with a generous amount of olive oil and place it over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, but not smoking, add the cutlets and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Watch the chicken closely and reduce the heat, if needed, to avoid burning the breading.
Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. Spritz the air fryer basket with oil and add two of the breaded chicken cutlets in a single layer. Spritz the tops of the chicken with oil and cook at 380 degrees F for 6 minutes. Flip the chicken over, spritz with additional oil, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through.
FAQ
Absolutely! You can definitely skip the step of coating the chicken with flour when breading chicken to make it gluten-free. Many recipes call for gluten-free bread crumbs, crushed gluten-free crackers, or even ground nuts like almonds or pecans for added flavor and texture.
Dipping the chicken in whisked eggs first is the key. The egg acts as a binding agent, helping the bread crumbs adhere to the chicken. After coating the chicken with bread crumbs, gently press them onto the surface of the chicken to ensure they stick. This step helps prevent the bread crumbs from falling off during cooking.
Gluten-Free Serving Suggestions
- Over Salad: These chicken cutlets are perfection with a squeeze of lemon juice, served over my simple Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. This is one of my go-to meals on busy nights.
- Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches or Wraps: Serve the crispy chicken cutlets on gluten-free buns or stuff inside gluten-free wraps with your favorite toppings like cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and mayonnaise.
- Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan: Top the chicken cutlets with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, then serve them over gluten-free pasta or with a side of roasted vegetables.
- With Gluten-Free Sides: They would be delicious served with Brown Rice Pilaf and Perfect Baked Sweet Potatoes. Or try my Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese and Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon.
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Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs, unseasoned
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- olive oil, as needed
Instructions
- Slice thick pieces of chicken in half, through the middle, to create two thinner cutlets from each. Cover the pieces of chicken with a sheet of plastic wrap and using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness of no more than ¼-inch. Can cut larger pieces in half for smaller serving size pieces, if desired. Season each piece with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and the grated Parmesan.
- Dip one piece of chicken first in the egg, then dredge it through the bread crumb mixture, pressing the mixture into the surface of the chicken with your fingers to coat both sides well. Transfer the breaded chicken to the prepared baking sheet and repeat to bread the remaining chicken.
- Drizzle or mist the top of each chicken cutlet with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the cutlets over and drizzle or mist with additional olive oil and continue to cook an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Alternate Cooking Methods
- Stovetop: Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. When the oil is shimmering (but not smoking), lower the heat to MEDIUM-LOW and add as many chicken cutlets as will fit without overlapping. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, per side, or until golden brown and cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F. Spritz the air fryer basket with oil and add two of the breaded chicken cutlets in a single layer. Spritz the tops of the chicken with oil and cook at 380 degrees F for 6 minutes. Flip the chicken over, spritz with additional oil, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through. Repeat to cook the remaining cutlets. To keep the first batch warm, place them on a baking sheet and transfer it to an oven set to 200 degrees F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home. All information provided regarding nutrition on this website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Content related to nutrition is not medical advice nor is it intended to replace medical advice. The website is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any disease, condition, illness, or injury. Before beginning any diet program, modifying your diet, or making changes to the diet of a child in your care, including following the nutrition information available on the website, you should seek advice from a licensed professional.
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