by Chicken was on sale this week. Like, really on sale. I may have gone a little overboard at the store. Ok, I definitely went overboard. I came home with more chicken than a family of four could reasonably deal with. So instead of making our standard boring chicken cutlets for the third night in a row, I decided to kick things up a notch and give them a cheesy, crispy parmesan makeover. Best decision I ever made.
I am going to be honest with you. This recipe happened because I did not have grated parmesan cheese. I had shredded. So I went with it. And you know what? It turned out to be one of the crunchiest, most delicious parmesan crusted chickens I have ever made. Sometimes the best recipes come from having no other choice.
Dana loved it. The kids loved it. I loved it. We paired it with my easy vodka sauce and it was an absolute home run of a weeknight dinner. The chicken was perfectly cooked, extra crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I will be making this one again and again.
Speaking of the vodka sauce — stay tuned. That recipe is coming up next and it pairs perfectly with this chicken. You are going to want both in your weeknight rotation. Trust me on that one.
A Quick Note on the Parmesan
Before we get into it, let me save you some trouble. There are two types of parmesan in this recipe and they each do a different job.
In the breadcrumb mixture — use grated. Grated parmesan blends right into the breadcrumbs and helps everything stick to the chicken much better. It is the right tool for the job. I did not have any grated at the house so I used shredded and it worked just fine — but if you have both, use grated in the mix. You will get a better result.
On top right before baking — use shredded. Shredded parmesan melts into a beautiful golden crunchy crust on top of the chicken that is absolutely incredible. This is the move. In a pinch you can use grated on top too, but shredded gives you that extra crunch that takes this dish to the next level. Do not skip it either way.
What You Need
The ingredient list is short and simple. Nothing fancy here. The key players are the mayo — which acts as the binder and keeps everything stuck to the chicken — and the shredded parmesan on top which creates that extra crunchy, cheesy crust.
Prep the Chicken
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Grease a sheet pan and set it aside. I use my Casaware ceramic non-stick pan for this — the browning you get on the bottom of the chicken is on a whole different level. Seriously worth it.
To grease the pan I use Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Spray. I love this stuff. It is not a seed oil, has a super high smoke point so it handles the 400 degree oven no problem, and has a completely neutral flavor that will not mess with the taste of your food. It is the only cooking spray we use in our house. Highly recommend.
While the oven heats up, mix your breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, garlic powder, salt and pepper together in a shallow bowl. Set that aside.
Take each chicken breast and slice it in half lengthwise to make two cutlets. Thinner cutlets cook faster, stay juicier and give you more surface area for that crunchy crust. More crust is always a good thing.
Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Then brush each side generously with mayo. Do not skip the mayo. It is the secret weapon here — it holds the breading on and keeps the chicken moist while it bakes.
Bread It and Bake It
Dredge each mayo-coated cutlet through the breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides completely. Place them on your greased sheet pan. Then — and this is the move — sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese generously over the top of each cutlet. This is what creates that extra crunchy, golden cheesy crust on top. Do not be shy with it.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the outside is golden brown and the internal temperature hits 165 degrees. I always use my Thermoworks Thermapen MK4 to check — no guessing, no cutting into it, just a perfect read every single time.
Rest and Serve
Pull it out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. I know it is hard to wait when it looks and smells that good, but the rest lets the juices redistribute and keeps the chicken moist. It is worth the wait.
Serve it with pasta and my easy vodka sauce — recipe coming soon — and you have got yourself one of the best weeknight dinners in the rotation. Dana and the kids had no complaints. Not a single one.
Make it. You can thank me later. — Rex
