What's a chicken cutlet? You see the term often in recipes not only for chicken but also veal and pork.
A cutlet is simply a thin piece of chicken breast. It's also a solution for easy weeknight cooking.
When I asked the Food Network's Scott Conant about his favorite foods, he told me he could eat chicken cutlets "pretty much any day."
I wasn't surprised.
Chicken cutlets are an easy option when you want dinner done fast, and they go with just about anything. You can saute or fry them, serve them with vegetables, put them on a sandwich or thinly slice them for a salad.
Cutlets you find at stores might not be of uniform size and shape. Many recipes call for making cutlets or thin pieces of chicken breast by pounding them to an even thickness. You put the chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound it thin. Pounding can be troublesome. Sometimes you pound a hole through the chicken or the meat tears. Sometimes the chicken breasts are huge and there's no way you'll get them even close to, say, a quarter-inch thickness.
An easier and more economical option is to cut the chicken yourself. Here's what you need to know.
A chicken breast is the whole breast, while the cutlet is a thin slice of the breast.
Look for chicken breasts that are about 8 ounces each, uniform in shape and no more than 1 inch thick. Sometimes it's easier if you buy the whole breast piece (so 1 pound or more total), which has two halves attached.
The chicken breast should be very well chilled. If the chicken is too warm, you won't be able to slice it as easily. If need be, you can place the chicken breasts on a plate and stick them in the freezer for about 20 minutes to chill them. They should be cold, but not frozen solid.
On a clean work surface or cutting board, place one cold chicken breast. Hold it in place with the palm of your hand. Starting at the thickest end, slice the breast in half horizontally, working away from you and toward the thinner end. Slicing them this way means you'll end up with two even pieces of chicken breast or cutlets. If the cutlets aren't thin enough or are thick at one end, you can pound them thinner.
The beauty of chicken cutlets is that they adapt to all kinds of prep and cooking methods. Cooking them in a skillet is the easiest method, but you can also put them on an outdoor grill. Just keep in mind that cutlets cook quickly. (Remember to cook them thoroughly to 165 degrees.) You can bread cutlets and saute or deep-fry them in in oil. You can also dredge them in flour seasoned with salt and pepper and then saute them, or you can lightly season and saute them. Really, you can cook a cutlet any way you'd cook a chicken breast.
Here's a favorite dinnertime recipe from our archives for chicken cutlets paired with a tangy sauce. If you work quickly, you can be done in 30 minutes.
PANKO-CRUSTED CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH TANGY MUSTARD SAUCE
Serves: 4 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 30 minutes
Instead of pounding the chicken breasts, use a boning knife to cut them in half horizontally to make two even pieces.
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 pound total and 1 inch thick)
1 large egg
1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1 cup regular or whole wheat panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 to 2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter
Place the chicken flat on a clean work surface. Carefully cut each breast in half horizontally so you have 4 pieces, each about 1/2-inch thick at the thickest point.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, parsley and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place the panko crumbs on a plate. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat and set aside for 5 minutes.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat. Press the crumbs onto the chicken pieces so they stick.
Add chicken to the skillet and cook until brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.
In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard.
Transfer chicken pieces to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet, bring to a boil and boil until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Spoon sauce alongside chicken and serve.
390 calories (35 percent from fat), 15 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 21 g carbohydrates, 39 g protein, 637 mg sodium, 158 mg cholesterol, 0.5 g fiber.