The chicken cutlets in the air fryer are a perfect idea for a crispy and tasty second course, with less fat but without sacrificing flavor. A great advantage of this recipe is that you can bread the chicken breast even without using the egg: just dip the chicken slices in milk, then pass them in breadcrumbs, pressing well to make it stick. In the air fryer, the breading stays compact and transforms into a golden and irresistible crust in less than 10 minutes, with very little oil. The breading can be customized to taste: I love adding parmesan, smoked paprika, and oregano, but you can experiment with spices and herbs like garlic powder, cumin, turmeric, curry, rosemary, sage, or sesame seeds. The chicken cutlets in the air fryer are a lighter alternative to the classic fried ones, perfect for any occasion!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 300.46 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 9.14 (g) of which sugars 1.11 (g)
- Proteins 50.19 (g)
- Fat 7.47 (g) of which saturated 2.40 (g)of which unsaturated 1.97 (g)
- Fibers 1.31 (g)
- Sodium 364.24 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 320 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Breaded Chicken Cutlets in Air Fryer
For gluten-free breaded cutlets, I used two types of gluten-free breadcrumbs, one finer and one more granular.
- 0.88 lbs chicken breast (sliced)
- 0.42 cup milk (or 1 egg)
- to taste breadcrumbs (gluten-free for me)
- 1 tbsp grated parmesan (optional)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 pinch oregano (optional)
- 1 pinch salt
- to taste pepper
- 2 sprays extra virgin olive oil (or 1 tbsp)
Tools
- 1 Deep dish
- Aluminum foil
- 1 Air fryer
- Air fryer paper
- 1 Oil sprayer
How to Cook Breaded Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
To prepare chicken cutlets in the air fryer, you can use a classic breading with the egg, or, if you prefer lighter cutlets, you can use milk. In this case, pour about half a glass into a bowl or deep dish and dip the chicken breast slices (1). On a sheet of aluminum foil, pour the breadcrumbs – I mixed two types, one finer and one more coarse, for a crunchier effect – and season it with a good pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, oregano, paprika, and parmesan (2). Mix well, then drain the chicken breast slices one by one and pass them in the breadcrumbs (3).
Press with the palm of your hand to adhere the breading well on all sides, turning the chicken slice several times. Then gently shake it to remove excess breading (4). Line the air fryer basket with the appropriate paper, then place the breaded chicken breast slices without overlapping them. If you have an oil sprayer, spray them with a couple of sprays of extra virgin olive oil, otherwise use a kitchen brush to lightly brush them (5).
Cook the chicken cutlets in the air fryer at 392°F (after preheating) for 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast slices, turning them halfway through cooking (6). When the chicken breast slices are golden, remove them from the air fryer (7).
Serve the chicken cutlets immediately, possibly after lightly seasoning them with a pinch of salt on the surface.
Storage
I suggest enjoying the chicken cutlets freshly made, but if there are leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
Tips and Variations
With the same recipe and procedure, you can also prepare beef or pork cutlets. The cooking time may vary slightly, especially depending on the thickness of the meat slices.
