This is the chicken breast recipe you’ve been searching for. Because it will taste nothing like those flavorless, dry breasts you’ve grown to tolerate.
The gist is simple — chicken breasts are sliced thin, then pounded even thinner. Sure, this is a process that by way of violence renders the meat pretty tender. But the real magic is in the cooking. Chicken this thin — about 1/4 inch — cooks so fast it barely needs heat. And that means the breasts stay moist.
But we’re not done yet. These chicken cutlets also get a sweet-spicy-crunchy coating thanks to a quick dredge through breadcrumbs seasoned with paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper and — ready for the secret ingredient? — sugar.
While you could quickly pan-fry these breaded cutlets, I like to ease of the oven. Very fast and no mess. What happens next is up to you. I like to eat them just as is, but you also could slap the cutlets between slices of sourdough bread with a bit of mayo. They also are terrific sliced and tossed with a Caesar salad, or mounded over a pile of barley.
SWEET-AND-SPICY PANKO-CRUSTED CHICKEN
Start to finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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