This is my favorite way to prepare a breaded chicken breast and once you give this crispy pan fried chicken recipe a try, I am very confident that you will feel the same way. It is super crisp, very juicy and perfect over a bed of greens, next to some steamed vegetables or a big dollop of apple sauce.
Let’s get started…
This is such an easy recipe that I don’t even measure anything any more, but for you first timers out there, grab three shallow bowls and some boneless skinless chicken breast.
Prepare the chicken by slicing the breast in half or thirds horizontally, depending on how thick it is. We are aiming for thin chicken cutlets. Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap, parchment or wax paper and pound them evenly thin.
Now that the chicken is prepped, it is time to set up the breading station. These amounts are enough to coat 2-3 thin chicken cutlets, so double or triple the amounts for bigger batches of chicken…
- In bowl #1, whisk 2 eggs with a splash of heavy cream and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- In bowl #2, whisk 1/2 cup of all purpose flour with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- In bowl #3, whisk 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (panko or fine) with 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Season the chicken generously with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper and then begin by lightly coating the chicken in the flour mixture…
Then, dip the chicken into the egg mixture and allow any excess to fall back into the bowl. Finally, dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture and firmly press the coating onto both sides to ensure the entire cutlet is well coated.
Now that the chicken is prepared, place a large skillet or flat griddle over medium to medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the skillet.
Once the butter has melted, swirl the skillet to combine with the oil and place the coated chicken into the skillet in a single layer.
Let the chicken cook for 3-4 minutes without disturbing it. This is my top tip for creating golden brown, super crisp chicken. This undisturbed cook time allows the chicken to form a beautiful crust and if you move it too early, this wonderful process can be disturbed and no one wants that!
Once the underside has formed a golden brown crust, carefully flip the chicken and reduce the heat a little bit (just a notch or two). This is my second favorite tip for this chicken… season it again, while it is hot. As soon as the chicken is flipped, sprinkle the crust with a minimum of salt and dried parsley. I love garlic, so I also add garlic powder or garlic salt too.
Cook the chicken on the other side for another 3-4 minutes or until it is cooked through with no pink remaining and an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
The chicken is absolutely ready to eat straight out of the skillet, but if there is anytime between it being cooked through and you enjoying it, I suggest allowing the chicken to rest on a cooling rack. A cooling rack allows all sides of the chicken to cool evenly and this prevents the underside from getting soggy. When you place a freshly fried piece of chicken onto a plate, all of that heat steams the underside and it quickly turns the crispy breadcrumb coating into a soggy mess.
This crispy pan fried chicken is every bit as buttery and crisp as it looks and whether you enjoy it over a salad, with mashed potatoes or some pasta, one thing is for sure… this will be your go-to chicken recipe from now on!
Crispy Pan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, halved, pounded thin
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of panko (or fine breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 cup of parmesan, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- salt and black pepper
- dried parsley (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Slice a boneless skinless chicken breast horizontally into 2 or 3 thin cutlets
- Place the cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap, parchment or wax paper and pound evenly thin with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin
- Whisk 2 eggs with a tablespoon of heavy cream and a pinch of salt and black pepper in a shallow bowl
- Whisk 1/2 cup of all purpose flour with a pinch of salt and black pepper in a second shallow bowl
- Whisk 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs with 1/2 cup of grated parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper in a third shallow bowl
- Dip the pounded chicken cutlets in the flour mixture first, the egg mixture second and the breadcrumb mixture last
- Press the breadcrumbs against the cutlet to ensure the entire surface is generously covered and then transfer the coated chicken onto a plate
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat
- Once the butter has melted, swirl it to combine with oil and place the coated chicken breasts into the skillet in a single layer leaving some space between them if possible
- Allow the cutlets to cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes and once a golden brown, crisp crust has formed on the bottom, carefully flip the cutlets and season the crisp side with a pinch of salt and dried parsley
- Cook the cutlets on the other side until both sides are crisp and golden brown and the chicken is cooked through with no pink remaining and an internal temperature of 165 degrees
- Serve the chicken immediately or transfer onto a cooling rack to rest until ready to serve to avoid the underside getting soggy
