Air fryer chicken cutlets turn out crispy, golden, and delicious with minimal prep and only 10 minutes of cook time! Enjoy on their own, over salads, with pasta, and so much more.
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Air Fried Chicken Cutlets
Craving that perfect crunch in your air fryer chicken cutlets but can’t seem to get enough breading to stick? Here’s a tip that will change the game: use your hands!
Yes, getting hands-on with your cutlets is the trick to getting them perfectly breaded. When you press the breadcrumbs into the chicken, you can build up a thicker, more even coating that crisps up beautifully in the air fryer.
And we all know the crunch is what makes everyone clear their plates and ask for more! Get ready to enjoy the crunchiest, most flavorful air fried chicken cutlets you’ve ever made – all thanks to a little hands-on magic.
What is a Chicken Cutlet?
Cutlets are actually just chicken breasts that have been cut into thin slices. You may even see them called chicken breast cutlets. They even make turkey cutlets –and this air fryer turkey cutlets recipe is delicious!
I love cutlets because they cook faster than chicken breasts. They’re also great to use with a marinade because the thinner pieces will soak up so much flavor!
If you have a full chicken breast, I recommend making this Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipe instead and if you have chicken tenders, make this delicious air fryer chicken tenders recipe!
What I’m Going to Teach You About Cooking Chicken Cutlets in Air Fryer
- How to make the best chicken cutlets in the air fryer
- How to slice whole chicken breasts into chicken cutlets
- Tips for making the most delicious air fryer breaded chicken cutlets
- What to serve with this crispy chicken dish
- The easiest method for reheating leftovers in the air fryer
My kids love anything breaded. And when it’s as easy as this air fryer chicken cutlet recipe, then so do I! The next time you’re craving some comfort food that doesn’t require a ton of work, this simple dish is the perfect option.
Chicken Cutlets Air Fryer Ingredients
- Chicken cutlets (thinly sliced chicken breasts)
- Eggs
- Italian breadcrumbs
- Seasoning — Paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne (optional)
- Salt and pepper
How to Air Fry Chicken Cutlets
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
STEP TWO: In a small container, whisk the eggs. In a separate container, combine the breadcrumbs and seasonings.
STEP THREE: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
STEP FOUR: Dredge your chicken cutlet in the eggs, flipping and covering each side. Shake off any excess egg. Next, lay it in the breadcrumbs, using your fingers to completely cover the chicken. Flip and repeat on the other side, then shake off any excess breading.
STEP FIVE: Repeat with the remaining chicken.
STEP SIX: Spray your air fryer basket, then lay two chicken cutlets in the basket. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
STEP SEVEN: Repeat with remaining cutlets, then serve and enjoy.
How to Cut Chicken Breasts into Chicken Cutlets
- Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast on a cutting board and hold it flat with one hand.
- With your other hand, use a knife to slice the breast in half lengthwise so you end up with two pieces. Try to make them the same size.
- Place the chicken in a plastic bag or between sheets of plastic wrap, then pound it flat with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until the chicken is about ¼ inch thick.
- Repeat with each piece of chicken breast.
Best Chicken Cutlet Air Fryer Tips
- Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. For my air fryer, 10 minutes was perfect, but each one is going to cook a little differently.
- Don’t be afraid to use your hands in the breading process! The more breadcrumbs you can press into the cutlets, the crispier your chicken will be.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket while cooking breaded chicken cutlets in the air fryer. You want the hot air to be able to circulate properly so you get the crispest and crunchiest pieces.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
- 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash
- Easy Homemade Garlic Cheese Bread
- Ninja Foodi Rice
- Simple Italian Pasta Salad
You can also pair it with one of these other air fryer vegetable recipes!
How to Store Air Fried Chicken Cutlets
Once the cooked chicken cutlets have cooled, place them in an airtight container. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
How to Reheat Chicken Cutlets in Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Place two leftover cutlets in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until heated through and crispy on the outside.
Chicken Cutlet Air Fryer FAQs
In general, you don’t want to pile foods on top of each other in the air fryer. If the hot air can’t circulate properly, it won’t be able to crisp up each piece or cook everything evenly.
I always recommend working in batches rather than crowding your air fryer basket, especially for recipes like this one where we want maximum crispiness!
Dredging the cutlets in the egg mixture is going to make them nice and sticky. However, I find that I get way more breading to stick when I use my fingers to really press it into the chicken.Â
Just make sure to gently shake off any excess breading so it doesn’t end up falling and burning in your air fryer.
The Perdue brand of breaded chicken breast cutlets are already fully cooked, so you only need to cook them long enough to warm them through and crisp them up.
1. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook the breaded chicken cutlets in the air fryer for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.Â
These cooking directions are for pre-cooked frozen chicken cutlets. If you are using raw frozen cutlets, the time and temperature needed will differ.
1. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
2. Lay two frozen chicken cutlets in the basket and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through until thoroughly heated.
Cooking raw chicken in the air fryer is not only safe but also results in deliciously juicy and perfectly cooked meat.
Just ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. An Instant Read Thermometer is the best way to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Chicken cutlets are just thin slices of chicken breast. They’re the same cut of meat, but cutlets will cook faster and more evenly.
While a regular chicken breast is thicker and will take longer to cook, cutlets are ideal for quicker cooking methods like air frying.
More like this Chicken Cutlets Air Fryer Recipe!
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Shake and Bake Chicken
- Buffalo Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Grilled Chicken
- Frozen Chicken Cordon Bleu in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Orange Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Katsu
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Frozen Chicken in the Air Fryer
And check out this great list of air fryer chicken recipes too!
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Chicken Cutlet Air Fryer Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper.Â
- In one small container whisk the eggs and in another combine the breadcrumbs and seasonings. Â
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Dredge your chicken cutlet in the eggs, flipping and covering each side. Then shake off any excess egg and lay it in the breadcrumbs, using your fingers to help completely cover the chicken. Flip and do the same to the other side. Shake off any excess breading. Continue to do this with the remaining chicken cutlets.
- Spray your air fryer and lay two chicken cutlets in the basket. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Check the internal temperature to make sure it is at 165 degrees F. For my air fryer, 10 minutes was perfect, but all vary a little differently.Â
- Serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
How To Cook Pre-Cooked Frozen Breaded Chicken Cutlets:
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Lay two frozen chicken cutlets in the basket and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through until thoroughly heated.
How to Reheat Chicken Breast Cutlets:
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Place two leftover cutlets in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until heated through and crispy on the outside.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
Are the directions any different using a Frigidaire range air fryer?
Hi Judy, same ingredients and temperature, but make sure to preheat the range a little longer since it’s larger. I’ve also found the food takes a little longer to cook, so I recommend using a meat thermometer to double-check it’s at 165 degrees before pulling it out.
Thank you!
This is amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
These were so easy to make and came out crispy and juicy!
do i need to use liners? i have 2 sizes–small and medium. i am new to using my air fryer.
It’s all about preference, for this particular recipe I didn’t use a liner. Although, there are recipes in which I feel a liner is helpful. I’d say if you are wanting to speed up the cleaning process, I’d opt for a liner.