Weeknight Chicken has a simple goal: deliver to you, hot and delicious, a plate of pan-fried, golden-brown chicken cutlets so you can relax a little and enjoy the evening, even during the midst of a busy week. It’s a worthy goal indeed, and one in which it succeeds. Each bite has the juicy chicken wrapped in a crisp, cheesy, and zesty coating just waiting for the right side dish to pair it with. Or maybe you’ll place Weeknight Chicken on a nice bed of salad. Really, Weeknight Chicken is as flexible as it needs to be to make your life easy and tasty!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- vegetable oil, as needed for pan-frying
- lemon wedges, optional, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise.
Step 2 –Lay the chicken halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and, on a cutting board, flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch-thickness using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin.
Step 3 –Season the chicken with the salt and the pepper.
Step 4 –Place the eggs and the flour in 2 separate shallow bowls.
Step 5 –In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, the parmesan, the lemon zest, the cayenne, the salt, and the pepper.
Step 6 –Working one at a time, dip the chicken cutlets into the flour, then the eggs, then the panko mixture, pressing as needed to coat.
Step 7 –In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Step 8 –Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Work in batches as needed and add more oil as needed.
Step 9 –Serve with the lemon wedges.
