Everyone in your family will be happy when they see a Crispy Chicken Cutlet Sandwich on their dinner plate. Pounded chicken thighs are fried until crisp and topped on ciabatta rolls with a handful of bright and refreshing toppings. It all comes together in minutes!
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Breaded chicken cutlet sandwich recipe
For the ultimate crunch, serve this Crispy Chicken Cutlet Sandwich for dinner. Juicy fried chicken cutlets are topped on ciabatta rolls along with fresh Italian toppings, like arugula, aioli, and tomatoes. Everyone will love them!
Not sure if this is the right dinner for you? Just check out these benefits that come along with breaded chicken cutlets:
- The cutlets are made with chicken thighs rather than breasts. No deboning or butterflying required!
- Dredging the chicken is easy and the cutlets take less than 5 minutes to fry.
- I dare you to find a sandwich topping or side dish that doesn’t pair well with the juicy and crispy chicken. The options are practically endless!
The whole family is sure to love these Italian chicken sandwiches. Serve them alongside a platter of refreshing sides, like Italian Tomato Burrata Salad and Creamy Orzo Pasta, for the best dinner ever!
What is a chicken cutlet?
A chicken cutlet is a chicken breast or thigh that’s been pounded flat. You can either buy cutlets that have already been pounded to about a 1-inch thickness or do it yourself using a meat mallet.
Because they’re so thin, chicken cutlets cook very quickly. They make for a quick and easy dinner and are extra delicious when they’re breaded and fried until crisp.
Ingredients and substitutions
You’ll love these sandwiches not only because they’re delectable and craveable, but also because they’re made with a handful of ingredients:
- Boneless chicken thighs – While many chicken cutlet recipes are made with chicken breasts, chicken thighs are a wonderful alternative because they have much more flavor and don’t need to be butterflied. Only boneless cuts will work for this recipe (unless you want to debone them yourself).
- Flour – All purpose flour works best, although a gluten free flour mix should work as well. You can replace the flour with breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs for even more crunch.
- Simple spices – All you need is garlic powder, smoked paprika (or regular paprika), and sea salt to flavor the breaded chicken cutlet.
- Ciabatta rolls – If you want to take your sandwiches to the next level, you need quality crusty bread. Ciabatta rolls are my go-to for these chicken cutlet sandwiches and my Proscuitto and Mozzarella Sandwiches because they’re crusty, yet soft. You could also use sourdough slices or homemade focaccia.
- Sandwich toppings – Black garlic aioli, fresh arugula, tomato slices, and pickled red onions. See even more sandwich topping ideas below!
How to make a chicken cutlet sandwich
This recipe makes enough for 4 sandwiches, but it can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd. Here’s how it’s done:
- Prepare the chicken cutlets: Place a chicken thigh in a large ziplock bag. Put it on a cutting board and pound it to an even thickness with a meat mallet or a heavy rolling pin. Cut each flattened chicken thigh in half for easy cooking.
- Make the breading and egg wash: Whisk the flour and spices together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the two eggs together.
- Dredge and fry the cutlets: Drench both sides of a chicken thigh in the egg wash first, then in the flour mixture. Place it in a hot skillet with oil and cook until both sides are browned. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Spread your favorite sauce on the toasted ciabatta rolls. Add one piece of chicken cutlet, then tomato, and another chicken cutlet. Add pickled red onions, arugula, and the top half of the bun on top. Enjoy!
Check out this guide by Epicurious for detailed directions on pounding chicken thighs for chicken cutlets.
Sandwich topping ideas
Top the crispy chicken sandwiches with fresh toppings to highlight the juicy, simply flavored chicken. Any of these will work:
- Roasted bell peppers
- Arugula basil pesto
- Dill pickles
- Sliced cucumbers
- Spinach
- Pickled radishes
- Basil aioli
- Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
- Bacon
- BBQ sauce
- Gremolata sauce
- Lemon basil aioli
Frequently asked questions
Use chicken breasts instead. Make sure to butterfly them before pounding them flat.
Potato chips or a simple side salad pair perfectly with these sandwiches! If you want to keep the meal Italian-inspired, enjoy each one with pesto green bean salad, lemon basil pasta salad, or tomato salad on the side.
Yes, you can fry the chicken up to 3 or 4 days ahead of time. Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To retain their crispy crunch, reheat the cutlets in an air fryer or a 400ºF oven until warmed through.
Absolutely! Once cool, place the fried cutlets in a ziplock bag and separate each one with a piece of parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Looking for more family dinner ideas?
- Easy Chicken Piccata
- Garlic Tuscan Chicken
- Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Baked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
- One Pot Creamy Sausage Pasta
If you give this Crispy Chicken Cutlet Sandwich a try, let me know in the comments below. I love seeing your pictures too, so please tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog and use #lenaskitchenblog so I can share them to my page!
Crispy Chicken Cutlet Sandwich
Ingredients
FLOUR MIXTURE
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 pinches sea salt
EGG MIXTURE
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 pinch sea salt
SANDWICH
- 4 chicken thighs, pounded flat, cooked
- 2-3 pinches sea salt, to season chicken
- light olive oil or other high heat oil
- 4 ciabatta rolls, cut in half and toasted
- 4 tbsp black garlic aioli or your favorite sauce
- 2 handfuls fresh arugula or spinach
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- 1 cup pickled onions
Instructions
- For the chicken cutlet : Pound out each chicken thigh pieces until about 1/2 inch flat with a meat mallet. Then cut in half so you get 8 smaller pieces for easier cooking. Season each side with a light sprinkle of sea salt.
- In a flat bowl, combine flour and seasonings together, set aside. In a separate flat bowl, whisk two eggs and a pinch of salt until fully combined, set a side.
- Add enough light olive oil to a pan that the bottom is covered, about 1/4 in deep. Turn stove on medium high.
- Place your flour and egg bowls right next to the stove. With a fork, grab the chicken thighs, drench in the eggs first, then transfer to the flour mixture until fully covered. Carefully place each cutlet into the heated oil in the pan. Cook for 1:30-2 minutes a side or until browned on both sides. They cook pretty fast. This will take you about 2 batches. If you double the recipe, I would recommend changing the oil for the next batch so you don’t get the cooked flour, which will look burnt and will not be good. Repeat the same process if you do.
- Place cooked chicken thighs on cooling rack with a dish underneath to let any access oil to drip off.
- To Assemble the sandwiches. Cut the ciabatta rolls, toast, spread the black garlic aioli or your favorite sauce on both sides. Add 1 piece of chicken cutlet, then tomato, then the other piece of chicken, pickled onions if you have some on hand, arugula and the top piece of ciabatta. Press down and then cut in half or keep it whole. Serve with your favorite chips or a side salad. Enjoy!
Julie
Made the chicken cutlets with mashed potatoes and cabbage salad . My 5 year old who’s a super picky eater loved it !!
lena
This makes me so happy to hear. I love it too, so easy and delicious. Glad you enjoyed it as well.
Lucy
Easy to prepare and delicious! Definitely will do again. All the family enjoyed this recipe.
lena
Ohh I am so happy you loved this recipe. Thank you for sharing your review.
Vera
Husband gave this one a 10/10 – he said it was WAY better than chick-fil-a! These are so easy to put together and seriously so good
Renata
My go to recipe.. so good??
Hannah @ FamilyFoodFreezer
Mouth is watering! Looks so delicious! Love all your write on this post. You really make it feel good healthy family friendly and possible with whatever you have in the house!
Nithya
Great recipe. Fresh, easy and delicious.