Easy Breaded Fried Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs, roughly crushed by hand if very large
• 1 ounce grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 4 cutlets and pounded to about 1/4 inch thick each
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Clarified butter or vegetable oil, for frying
• 5-Minute Radicchio and Watercress Salad, optional
• Lemon wedges, for serving, optional

Directions

1. Place 3 broad, low bowls on your counter. Put the flour in the first, the beaten eggs in the second, and the panko with the Parmesan in the third, stirring the crumbs and cheese until they’re evenly combined. Sprinkle the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper. Bread one cutlet at a time: use your left hand to coat it in flour, then tap off what doesn’t cling. Move it to the eggs, and use your right hand to turn it until both sides are coated. Let the extra egg drip back into the bowl, then place the cutlet in the crumb mixture. With your left hand, pile crumbs over the chicken and press lightly, flipping it so both sides get a solid coating. Set the breaded cutlet on a clean plate, then do the same with the rest.
2. Pour clarified butter or frying oil into a large cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. If you want the cooking to move faster, you can use 2 skillets at the same time. Warm the fat over high heat until it shimmers and is nearly smoking, about 375 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
3. Carefully ease the cutlets into the hot fat with tongs or your fingers, lowering each one away from you so the fat doesn’t splash back. Cook in batches if the pan is crowded. Fry while gently moving the skillet and turning the cutlets’ positions so they brown evenly, adjusting the heat to keep the bubbling lively and steady. When the underside is crisp and browned, about 3 minutes, turn the cutlets over and cook until the second side is crisp and browned too, about 3 minutes longer. Move them to paper towels to drain, and salt them immediately. Cook any remaining cutlets the same way. Serve right away with 5-Minute Radicchio and Watercress Salad and lemon wedges on the side, if desired.