Air fryer chicken cutlets turn out crispy, golden, juicy, and delicious – perfect with veggies, over salads, with pasta, and more.
Air Fryer Breaded Chicken Cutlets
The secret to the best tasting air fryer chicken cutlets, is marinading them quickly with Italian dressing and seasonings before breading and air frying – my family loves them! I also add Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs for extra flavor, so good! For some dinner ideas, serve them with roasted broccoli, over salad, with a side of orzo and zucchini, or with your favorite grain.
I have so many air fryer recipes here, plus two air fryer cookbooks, Skinnytaste Air Fryer Recipes and Skinnytaste Air Fryer Dinners. Chicken cutlets in the air fryer is something make often for dinner!
Why This Works!
- Easy Marinade: Italian dressing makes the chicken moist and flavorful!
- Flavor: Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning adds extra flavor to the breadcrumbs.
- Quick: Dinner ready in under 30, just serve with your favorite side.
- Light: No need to deep fry in oil, the air fryer makes crispy chicken cutlets.
- Less Mess: No splattering oil all over the counter, the mess stays in the air fryer. Then I throw it in the dishwasher!
- Family Loves Them! Picky family approved!
Ingredients
- whole chicken breast: boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half and pounded thin
- seasoning: kosher salt, garlic powder, dry Italian seasoning
- marinade: 1/4 cup Italian dressing or marinade, I used my homemade dressing from Skinnytaste Meal Prep Cookbook, but store bought such as Annie’s will work.
- breading: breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs will also work
- binder: egg, beaten
- olive oil spray
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 cutlets.
- Place chicken on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and pound the chicken with a meat mallet to make them each 1/4-inch thick. In a shallow bowl, season with salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and marinade with Italian dressing at least 1 hour (the longer the better).
- Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl.
- Place egg in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a work surface and spray both sides with oil.
- In a single layer, in batches if needed transfer the cutlets to the air fryer basket and air fryer 400F 4 minutes until the top is golden, then flip and spray the other side, air fry another 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through. (Remember, air fryers can vary, so always consult your device’s manual and keep an eye on the food, especially the first time you try a new recipe.)
Variations
Although you can make them in the oven, if you don’t have an air fryer I suggest lightly pan frying in a skillet instead.
FAQs
Yes, breading works well in an air fryer! In fact, air fryers are particularly good at cooking breaded foods, giving them a crispy, golden exterior similar to what you’d expect from traditional deep frying, but with much less oil. You can use traditional breadcrumbs, panko for extra crispiness, or even crushed up cereals or chips for a different texture. Lightly spray the breaded food with some oil spray before air frying. This helps achieve a more golden and crispy result.
To prevent chicken from becoming rubbery in an air fryer, avoid overcooking and ensuring even air circulation by not overcrowding the basket. Also, opt for organic chicken for the best texture.
Your chicken might not be crispy in the air fryer if it’s overcrowded in the basket, preventing proper air circulation. Additionally, a lack of a light oil or cooking spray on the chicken’s surface can hinder achieving a crispy exterior. Ensure the chicken is dry before breading and that the air fryer is preheated for optimal results.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
Air Fryer Musts
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 8-oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing
- 3/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs, homemade or store bought
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or Romano cheese
- 1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg, beaten
- olive oil spray
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 cutlets. Pound to make 1/4 inch thick.
- In a shallow bowl, season with salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and marinade with Italian dressing at least 1 hour (the longer the better).
- Combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl. Place egg in another shallow bowl. Dip the chicken into the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place on a work surface and spray both sides with oil.
- In a single layer, in batches if needed, transfer the cutlets to the air fryer basket and air fryer 400F 4 minutes until the top is golden, then flip and spray the other side, air fry another 3 to 4 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
Can I do this with Chicken tenders? Would I need to change cook times?
Look at this recipe- https://www.skinnytaste.com/air-fryer-chicken-tenders/
Fantastic! Made exactly as in the recipe and it was perfect!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Had anyone tried almond flour? I’m diabetic and very sensitive to flour.
This was great! Super easy and turned out really flavorful. I served this with the air fryer green beans and it was a hit all around! Will definitely keep this in our regular rotation
Is there a way to reheat and still have crispy chicken?
You could probably put them in the air fryer at 350 for just a few minutes. It’s worked for me.
Really great ! This is my second time making these.
This time however I used the only thing I had in the fridge. Creamy Italian Dressing and omitted the egg wash.
Do you have whole 30 version?
Italian seasoning isn’t mentioned in the list of ingredients in the recipe
Yes it is. Read it again.
All of the breading slid off the chicken. I’m sure this is a “me” problem but not sure what I could have done different to make this work as I filled the recipe exactly.
Good flavor, we also had trouble getting the breadcrumbs to stick. The slid right off.
It was excellent. Made for my daughter who is a very picky eater, and she loved it!
Oh my gosh, sorry! I didn’t realize I was rating the wrong recipe. I must have changed pages without realizing it.
This sounds so good and looking forward to trying it – do you think tots crackers would work in place of bread crumbs?
These were my first chicken recipe I made in my recently purchased air fryer. They were wonderful and will be repeated often. My daughter even asked to take leftovers home! Do you think reheating in the air fryer the next day would be the way to go with leftovers? Maybe using less time or lower heat? Thanks.
We made the recipe tonight and it was Delicious!!
We loved the cutlets!
Thank you
I’ve made this a few times and it is really good! Definitely on the regular rotation at our house!
This is probably the third time we have made the Air fryer Chicken cutlets, and they are great. I usually use the chicken tenders and don’t pound them, but they turn out excellent every time. Thanks
This is a definite winner!
Yes I’ve made this numerous times. I love it, chicken comes out nice and juicy.
Excellent and easy. All ingredients on hand and chicken breast remains moist.
Has this for supper tonight but I used gluten free Panko crumbs. It was easy to make and excellent. My husband loved it too! Will be in our rotation!
Maybe it’s my airfryer, but it didn’t brown.
Great weeknight meal, lots of flavor! We absolutely adore SkinnyTaste
Thank you Sara!
Delicious
Not crispy but good flavor – Was disappointed in the lack of crispiness. I followed directions and cooked in a Cuisinart oven style air fryer at 400 for 4 minutes, flipped, and cooked another 4 minutes.I didn’t want to cook longer for fear the chicken would overcook – It could be that my cutlets were really thin perhaps a tad less than 1/4″ thick. Breading fell off a bit after flipping but nothing stuck to the basket which was good. I will try this one again but maybe increase heat or try in the oven at 425 degrees. I know Gina suggested pan frying in lieu of air frying. Again, flavor was really good –
Yes, as I mention in the recipe, when cooking in the air fryer you don’t want them too thin as you need the extra minute or 2 to brown. If you air fryer goes up to 425 (most do not) then give that a try! All air fryers cook different.
So good! The marinade gives it that something extra! For those who say their breading falls off, i learned from years of making cutlets that the trick is to pat the chicken dry before dipping in the egg then breadcrumbs and also let them sit for about 15 min after breading before frying or air frying! It really helps.
If it’s marinating why would you pat it dry?
Patting dry after Marinating will help The breading stay on. Once it’s breaded, let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes
Really delicious but had same issue with crispiness- i sprayed a ton of olive oil and preheated the airfryer for a while.
This is a great easy recipe with lots of flavor! I added my chicken to pre mix Caesar salad, it just eat on its own. Will make this again for sure. Thanks!
Enjoyed this recipe very much, will make it again. Thanks
This chicken is delicious. Crispy on the outside and moist in the inside. I think the trick for not sticking is to ensure the Air Fryer is good and hot and the chicken is sprayed enough. I had a problem with the Air Fryer chicken sandwiches sticking a few months ago. So this time I let the Air Fryer preheat for 3-4 minutes and it worked beautifully.
I used your Italian marinade from your MealPrep Cookbook; it’s so easy to make and I recommend using it over store bought dressing! This recipe is probably one of my favourite chicken recipes ever. Such a great flavour profile!!
Excellent, very moist. We just didn’t get the browning color that the picture showed. If we used parchment paper in the air fryer would it give the darker color.
Add paprika or chili powder for color.
These cutlets were delicious, however much of the breading peeled off when I turned the chicken. I used plenty of olive oil spray. The chicken was cold (I marinated in the fridge) when I breaded. Could that be a reason?
Hmm not sure? Did you use egg and pat the crumbs well? I use 4C breadcrumbs and never have an issue.
Happened to me too 😕. Flavor was great though!
Delicious easy to put together. On my favourite list to make again
Fabulous flavor and soooo easy to prepare! Definitely a keeper!!
Love the taste awesome. But it could be my brand of air fryer. 400 for 8 minutes, not crispy but that is okay very tasty. Thank you
Do chicken thighs go well with this recipe?
Sure
I made these for company last night. They were tender and juicy and were well received by everyone including the fussy water.
Do you have an example of Italian dressing, not sure what you mean
I mean a UK brand
It’s essentially sold in the UK as a vinaigrette. I had success finding it as part of the newman’s brand (sold as vinegar and olive oil). Essentially, if you get an herby vinaigrette without some sort of cream mixed in, it will be close to what Americans mean when they talk about Italian salad dressing.
Pauline, went to her salad recipes and found the Italian dressing
This sounds fabulous, however I have an egg allergy. What can I substitute for the egg??
You can skip it, the dressing should be enough for the crumbs to stick.
This looks amazing!
I looked for your homemade Italian Dressing, for the marinade, in your Meal Prep Cookbook but cannot find it. Please tell me the page number. Thank you!
Skinnytaste Meal Prep
Pg 194
Italian Marinade
Gina, love your recipes, I make the chicken plicata all the time but how do you get them so golden without turning them into hockey pucks? Going to try the Cajun chicken pasta next!
Which air fryer do you have? I usually don’t flip until one side is golden, 4 to 5 minutes usually, then I flip and cook a few more. Don’t overcook.
It’s a Cosori and I’m leaning to crank the heat higher and cook longer; still not real brown but they taste great. Thanks again for all the great air fryer recipes.
I use panko bread crumbs and toast them before using. I usually have a bunch in the freezer ready to use then you don’t have to worry about browning anything. 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup plain panko & dry Italian spices to taste. Melt butter, oil & spices in teflon pan. Add panko & combine. Stirring all time about 9-10 min on med high until toasted. Remove from heat & keep stirring about 2 min. until it cools down. Cool completely & freeze. 38.5 cal per tbsp I usually double the recipe.
I bought a ninja toaster oven / air fryer Slim profile on counter. Making all Skinnytaste recipes. Thank you !
This looks like a delicious way to do cutlets. No air fryer though. Can they be baked?
In the instructions prior to the recipe she suggests that if you don’t have an air fryer you should pan fry them instead.
Oops! Didn’t see that. Thanks! 👍🏻