Cheesy Gluten-Free Chicken Cutlets

If you can’t find ready-made chicken cutlets in your local grocery store, butterfly and pound regular chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap with a rolling pin or meat mallet until ¼-inch thick.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
3/4 c. almond flour
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3 large eggs
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 t. Italian seasoning
1 c. olive oil, divided*

*For this application, use regular olive oil instead of extra virgin because it has a higher smoke point.

Add the almond flour, salt, and black pepper to a shallow, wide bowl or pie pan and stir to combine. Set aside.

Whisk the eggs together with the water until thoroughly combined and transfer to a shallow, wide bowl or pie pan. Set aside.

Pulse the gluten-free breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning in food processor until fine. Transfer to a rimmed plate or pie pan and set aside.

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and then dredge each cutlet in the almond flour, then the egg mixture, and finally, the breadcrumbs. Be sure to shake off any excess almond flour and egg before moving to the next step. Press the chicken firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to ensure they are evenly coated on each side.

When finished, transfer each cutlet to a wire rack for 5-10 minutes to “set up.”

Add one-half cup olive oil to a 12″ cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat.

Tip: For best results, don’t do all 4 cutlets at the same time to prevent overcrowding. The excess steam from overcrowding will interfere with the browning process.

Cook the chicken on one side until golden brown and crispy, approximately 4-5 minutes, before flipping. As soon as each breast is flipped, reduce heat to medium and cook on second side about 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from heat and transfer the cutlets to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking pan and gently remove excess oil with paper towels.

Carefully drain used olive oil from skillet and wipe excess with a paper towel. Add remaining olive oil to skillet and repeat process with the remaining chicken cutlets.

Remove from heat and transfer the cutlets to the wire rack with the first batch. Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve immediately with your choice of sides or over a mixed green salad. Enjoy!