Breaded Chicken Cutlet

Preparing the fillet

1. Cut the chicken fillet lengthwise along the side so that you can open it like a book. This doubles the size of the fillet and makes it thinner at the same time.

2. Pound the fillet lightly, to a thickness of about 1 cm.

   Chicken doesn’t pound well because the meat is very tender. Still, it is worth pounding the fillet a little, like a pork chop, mostly to even out the meat, as for a beef steak. If any pieces break off the fillet, use them too; you can taste them while cooking to check the flavor and doneness.

   

3. Mix salt, ground black pepper, sweet red paprika and dried aromatic herbs (oregano, basil, savory, etc.) to taste.

4. Sprinkle the fillets on both sides with this mixture. Sprinkle the fillets with lemon juice, about 1 tsp of juice per fillet.

   

Breading and frying

1. Familiar bread crumbs (from the French paner, to sprinkle with crumbs) are usually crumbs made specially, by finely grinding stale white bread or a loaf. The crumbs must cover the food completely and tightly. There are also ready-made breading mixes. It is better to use a piece of dried-out loaf or white bread, finely grated beforehand, rather than ready-made crumbs of unknown origin.

   For a tighter seal, the food is often dipped in beaten eggs before being rolled in crumbs. Or you can even do a “double” breading: egg, crumbs, egg, crumbs. It’s up to you; the chicken fillet cutlet will turn out great either way.

2. Coat the fillet generously in the crumbs. The breading layer will be fairly thick and dense.

3. Put the butter in a hot frying pan, melt it and wait until it starts to crackle.

4. Immediately put the breaded fillet in the pan.

   

5. Turn the heat down to medium. Fry the cutlet for 5-6 minutes on each side, until a golden crust forms.

   A chicken fillet cutlet cooks quickly, so there will be enough time, but it doesn’t hurt to check doneness by eye. If in doubt, cut the fillet with a knife at the thickest point: cooked chicken doesn’t release pink juice. If necessary, add a few more minutes.

   

Serving

1. Put a side dish on the plate, for example baked or boiled potatoes, and greens. You can skip the side dish altogether, given that a salad is usually served with lunch. But do add a slice of lemon: the cutlet goes great with lemon.

2. Then add the cutlet while it is still sizzling, and serve right away.