Fried Chicken Cutlets

adapted by http://theresalwaysthyme.blogspot.com

Basic recipe for cutlets...

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded very thin, or buy already thin-sliced cutlets

2 eggs beaten and seasoned with salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

salt & freshly ground black pepper

olive oil (and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, if you like)

Dredge the cutlets in flour, and shake off the excess. Then dip the cutlets in a mixture of eggs beaten with salt and pepper. Next dredge the cutlets in breadcrumbs, plain or seasoned, and shake off the excess. Let the cutlets rest on a plate for a minute or two. Meanwhile, add about an inch of vegetable, olive oil or a mixture of butter and olive oil to a large skillet on top of the stove on medium-high heat, or an electric skillet set to 350 degrees F. When the oil is hot, carefully add the cutlets, do not crowd them, and brown on one side, and then carefully turn and brown the other side. Line a platter with paper towels and remove the cutlets from the pan to rest on the platter.

Instead of using three different dishes, less mess if you just use gallon size ziploc bags for the flour, the eggs and the breadcrumbs. Cleanup is a snap!

I use plain bread crumbs, and season with salt and pepper. You can also add freshly grated Parmesan to the mix! Also a little bit bit of cayenne in the flour mix is good, too! Not too much! You can pan fry fish fillets in the same way! Serve these plain or add sauce and cheese for Chicken Parmesan, serve with salsa or any sauce you like, it's very versatile. The cutlets freeze great, no need to thaw, just reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.

If you like Chicken alla Milanese, add some Parmesan to the breadcrumbs with a little lemon zest, and when it's finished frying, serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some fresh chopped parsley!