Breaded Chicken Cutlets
These gluten-free, low-carb breaded chicken cutlets are juicy, tender, and way easier to make—no pounding needed. I found a simple method that keeps them from drying out and makes prep way less fussy.
6
Servings
350
Calories
6.9g
Fat
45.7g
Protein
0.9g
Net Carb
1.2g
Total Carbs
I’ve made chicken cutlets so many times, and honestly, I used to think the only way to get them thin and tender was to either butterfly the chicken breast or grab a meat mallet and go to town. But let’s be real—that gets messy fast and it’s way too easy to overcook them into dry hockey pucks. So when I came across this new method from Rita at @cucinapalermo on TikTok, I had to try it. And you guys—it works. It’s gone totally viral for a reason.
How to get fork tender chicken without pounding
Instead of slicing the chicken breast in half like usual, just cut it into ½ inch strips lengthwise. That’s it. No pounding, no butterflying, no stress. I don’t know the science behind it, but somehow when you cut it this way, the chicken comes out juicier, way more tender, and still thin enough to fry up quickly. It’s like magic. And yes, it’s now the only way I make cutlets.
Now let’s talk about that golden crispy coating—because we’re keeping it low carb and gluten free without sacrificing crunch. No boring almond flour situation here. I’m using a mix of pork panko (basically crushed pork rinds) and unflavored whey protein isolate. The combo gives you that crispy, bready texture you want in a cutlet, and the protein powder adds this almost beer-battered vibe when you fry it. Zero carbs, high protein, and totally delish.
So yeah, these aren’t just any chicken cutlets. They’re crispy, juicy, tender little strips of heaven that happen to be keto-friendly. And once you try this no-pound slicing method, you’ll never go back.
Chicken Cutlets Recipe Video
With 100s of videos and millions of views, Ketofocus is one of the most popular Keto channels on YouTube.
Rita's Chicken Cutlets Ingredients
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
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1/2 cup Italian dressing
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1 egg
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1 teaspoon salt, divided
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1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
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1 1/2 cups pork panko
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1 1/2 scoops unflavored whey isolate protein powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
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Avocado or cooking oil for frying
Breaded Chicken Cutlets Directions
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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.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
Quick Tip
Watch the video above to get a better understanding on how to cut the chicken. -
Prepare marinade and marinade 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 marinade for 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Italian dressing
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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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.
Quick Tip
Do not let the oil go past 350°F when cooking or else the breading will burn. -
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.
Ingredients
- 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
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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.
Quick Tip
Only coat the chicken that you intend to fry right away as the breading tends to absorb moisture from the chicken as it sits and you won't get that perfect crunchy crust on the outside when fried. -
Fried chicken cutlets
Carefully lower each piece of coated cutlet into the hot oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, flipping halfway through. Remove using a slotted spatula and place on either a wire rack or paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Marinating the chicken in Italian dressing and egg gave it incredible flavor and kept it moist throughout frying. I loved how the pork panko and whey protein powder created such a crispy, golden crust without any gluten. Frying at 350°F gave a perfect crunch and the cutlets didn’t fall apart when flipping. Slicing the chicken lengthwise worked great for uniform cooking.
The breaded chicken cutlets were so tender and crispy! Loved the keto-friendly coating. Will make again!
These were so easy and flavorful. I marinated the chicken a bit longer, around 30 minutes, and the meat turned out really juicy. Loved the texture from the pork panko.
These turned out great, and I didn’t have to pound the chicken which saved time. The pork panko gave a really nice crunch.
These cutlets were crispy and juicy with minimal effort. I liked that I didn’t have to flatten the chicken. I followed the recipe exactly and they fried up beautifully in avocado oil.
I was amazed at how well the pork panko and whey protein powder created a crispy, savory crust that held up perfectly during frying. The Italian seasoning added just the right amount of herb flavor without overpowering the chicken. I didn’t even need to pound the chicken since slicing it lengthwise kept everything a consistent thickness and cooked evenly. Letting the cutlets sit in the Italian dressing and egg marinade for just 15 minutes made them incredibly tender and flavorful. Frying in avocado oil at the suggested temperature gave me an ultra-crispy exterior without burning. Definitely making these again!
These chicken cutlets came out perfectly golden and stayed super moist on the inside. I really appreciated that they held together well while frying and didn’t fall apart like other low carb breadings I’ve tried.