Weeknight Chicken

Time :40

Yield :8 servings

Recipe Background

Weeknight Chicken has a simple goal: deliver to you, hot and delicious, a plate of pan-fried, golden-brown chicken cutlets so you can relax a little and enjoy the evening, even during the midst of a busy week. It's a worthy goal indeed, and one in which it succeeds. Each bite has the juicy chicken wrapped in a crisp, cheesy, and zesty coating just waiting for the right side dish to pair it with. Or maybe you'll place Weeknight Chicken on a nice bed of salad. Really, Weeknight Chicken is as flexible as it needs to be to make your life easy and tasty!

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large eggs beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
3/4 cup parmesan freshly grated
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
vegetable oil as needed for pan-frying
lemon wedges optional, for serving

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise.
Lay the chicken halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and, on a cutting board, flatten the chicken to 1/4-inch-thickness using a meat tenderizer or a rolling pin.
Season the chicken with the salt and the pepper.
Place the eggs and the flour in 2 separate shallow bowls.
In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, the parmesan, the lemon zest, the cayenne, the salt, and the pepper.
Working one at a time, dip the chicken cutlets into the flour, then the eggs, then the panko mixture, pressing as needed to coat.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Work in batches as needed and add more oil as needed.
Serve with the lemon wedges.