Breaded Chicken Cutlets
Published May 6, 2025 • Updated February 18, 2026
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I’ve made chicken schnitzel and keto chicken tenders more times than I can count, and for years I thought the only way to get thin, even cutlets was to butterfly the breast or beat it flat with a mallet. Both methods work, but they’re messy and it’s way too easy to overcook the meat into something dry and sad. Then I saw this slicing method from Rita at @cucinapalermo on TikTok and I had to try it.
The no-pound slicing method that changed everything
Instead of butterflying or hammering, I just cut the breast into 1/2-inch strips lengthwise, going with the grain. That’s the whole trick. The strips come out thin enough to fry fast, and somehow they stay juicier than any pounded cutlet I’ve ever made. I don’t fully understand the science behind it, but after making these probably 20 times now, I can tell you it works every single time. Once the strips sit in the Italian dressing marinade for 10-15 minutes, they flatten out and soften into something that looks and eats like a traditional cutlet.
A low-carb breading that actually crunches
I’ve tried a lot of gluten-free breading combos over the years (plain almond flour, crushed pork rinds alone, coconut flour, you name it) and most of them either taste dusty or fall off in the pan. What I landed on here is a mix of pork panko and unflavored whey protein isolate. The pork panko gives you real crunch, and the protein powder creates this almost beer-battered quality when it hits the hot oil. Together they give you a crispy golden crust with zero carbs. If you’ve tried my keto bread crumbs recipe, you know I’m particular about breading texture, and this one delivers.
I fry mine in avocado oil at 325-350 degrees, about 3-5 minutes per side. The outside gets golden and audibly crunchy while the inside stays tender. My family goes through these on weeknights, and I usually make a double batch because leftovers reheat perfectly in the air fryer. If you love crispy fried chicken or chicken parmesan, this is the same satisfaction with way less effort. No pounding, no mess, just really good breaded chicken that happens to be keto.
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Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast -
1/2 cup Italian dressing
-
1 egg
-
1 teaspoon salt, divided
-
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
-
1 1/2 cups pork panko
-
1 1/2 scoops unflavored whey isolate protein powder
-
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
-
Avocado or cooking oil for frying
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Cut chicken
Trim off any fat from the chicken. Slice each breast into thin strips about ½-¾ inch thick lengthwise, cutting along the grain of the meat.
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
Prepare marinade and marinate chicken cutlets
In a large, shallow bowl or dish, pour in Italian dressing, egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until combined. Place strips of chicken in the dish and let marinate for 10-15 minutes.
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Heat oil
Pour enough avocado or cooking oil into a large skillet with deep walls to fill it up about ¼ – ½ inch. Heat oil to medium over the stove until the oil is between 325-350°F.
Low carb, high protein breading
Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the breading in a second bowl – pork panko, protein powder, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- 1 1/2 cups pork panko
- 1 1/2 scoops unflavored whey protein powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Bread the chicken
Once oil is hot enough, begin coating the chicken. Working in batches, remove a cutlet from the dressing mixture, and place in the breading mixture. Press the powder into the cutlet to ensure it’s completely coated on all sides.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Won't the chicken strips be too narrow if I cut them lengthwise?
I thought the same thing the first time. But once the strips sit in the Italian dressing marinade for 10-15 minutes, they soften and flatten out into something that looks like a regular cutlet. I've served these to people who had no idea they weren't pounded flat.
Will any protein powder work for this recipe?
I've only tested this with unflavored 100% whey protein isolate from Isopure, and that's what gives the crispy, almost beer-battered texture I love. I haven't tried casein or plant-based versions, so I can't vouch for those. If you experiment, I'd love to hear how it turns out.
At what temperature is chicken breast safe to eat?
The USDA says 165 degrees, but I usually pull mine off when my meat thermometer reads around 150-155 degrees because carryover heat brings it the rest of the way. I've found the chicken stays much juicier this way instead of cooking it all the way to 165 in the pan.
Can I bake these instead of frying them?
I've done it at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. They come out good, not as crunchy as fried, but still solid. I spray the tops with avocado oil before they go in, and that helps the breading crisp up more. If I'm being honest, frying is still my preference, but baking works when I don't want to deal with oil cleanup.
Can I freeze breaded chicken cutlets?
I freeze cooked cutlets all the time. I lay them out on a parchment-lined sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for about 2 months and reheat perfectly in the air fryer. I've also frozen them raw (breaded but uncooked), but the coating can get a little soggy during thawing, so I prefer freezing them already fried.
What can I use instead of pork panko?
If you can't find pork panko, I've had good results crushing plain pork rinds in a food processor until they're fine and even. You want a texture similar to breadcrumbs, not chunky pieces. I've also seen people use my keto bread crumbs recipe as a swap, which works if you already have a batch made.
Can I make these ahead of time?
I prep everything up to the breading stage and keep the coated strips on a sheet in the fridge for up to an hour before frying. Any longer than that and the breading starts absorbing moisture from the chicken, which means less crunch. For true meal prep, I fry the full batch and reheat portions throughout the week in the air fryer.
How many net carbs are in each serving?
My batch comes out to under 2g net carbs per serving, which is one of the reasons I make this so often. The pork panko and whey protein breading are both essentially zero carb, so the only carbs come from the Italian dressing marinade, and most of that drips off before breading.
Pork panko crust came out crispier than expected for a first try. One thing: watch your oil temp. I learned the hard way when my second batch went too dark before the chicken cooked through. First batch was golden though, and the texture was genuinely close to regular breading. Trying again this weekend with the heat lower from the start.
The Italian dressing marinade is genius. Chicken stayed so juicy even fried. Under 1 carb per serving too.
That marinade really does the work. I started using it because I got tired of pounding chicken flat and it ended up being the better method.
Made a double batch for weekly meal prep. The pork panko breading reheats way better than I expected in the air fryer.
Air fryer is the move for reheating these. I do the same thing, 375 for about 4 minutes and the breading crisps back up.