This chicken cotoletta is a simple, reliable Italian-style dish that is full of flavour. The chicken is coated in a crisp parmesan crumb and served with a fresh salsa verde made with parsley, capers and lemon. It’s a straightforward, tasty dish that works just as well for a casual dinner party as it does for a weeknight meal.
This is a recipe I come back to often because it’s so easy to prepare. It’s inspired by a version served at a restaurant I used to work at, but simplified into something I can cook without really even thinking about it. The most involved part is crumbing the chicken, which can be done ahead of time, while the salsa verde can be mixed together while the chicken rests. Most of the ingredients are things you’ll likely already have on hand, making it a great last minute option, and chicken dinner is always a winner!
In this Post
- What is a chicken cotoletta?
- Ingredients
- How to make chicken cotoletta
- Salsa Verde
- Variations & Substitutes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Recipe
What is a chicken cotoletta?
Cotoletta is a classic Italian dish made from a meat cutlet that’s breaded and pan fried until crispy. The traditional version is Cotoletta alla Milanese, which is typically made with veal.
Here, chicken breast is used instead, sliced into thin cutlets, coated in a parmesan crumb, and fried until golden. It’s an easy, home-friendly take on the classic, with the same crisp texture and plenty of flavour.
Ingredients
Chicken cutlets: These are chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally into cutlets. Cotoletta simply means cutlet, and cutting the chicken this way helps it cook quickly and evenly. You can often buy them already prepared, sometimes labelled as chicken breast steaks.
Egg: Used to help stick the crumb to the chicken.
Cornflour: (corn starch in the USA): Used for dredging the chicken before the egg. You can also use regular flour if you don’t have cornflour on hand.
Parmesan: Adds savouriness and seasoning to the crumb, but any hard, aged cheese can be used instead, such as pecorino or grana padano.
Parsley: Forms the base of the salsa verde and brings freshness. You can use curly or flat leaf parsley.
Capers: Add salinity and sharpness, balancing the richness of the crumbed chicken.
Lemon: Both zest and juice brighten the sauce and tie the flavours together.
Olive oil: Binds the salsa and rounds out the acidity.
How to make chicken cotoletta
ONE: Coat the chicken cutlets evenly in cornflour, shaking off any excess.
TWO: Dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, turning to coat completely.
THREE: Place the chicken into the crumb mixture and coat well, pressing the crumbs onto the surface to ensure they stick.
FOUR: Place the breaded chicken in one layer on a sheet of baking paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
FIVE: Fry the chicken cutlets over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden and crisp.
SIX: Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil then onto an oven tray and into a preheated 180ºC oven and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Salsa verde
ONE: Add the chopped parsley, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and zest to a mixing bowl.
TWO: Mix ingredients together. Keep in fridge until you are ready to cook the chicken.
Variations & Substitutions
Gluten free: Use gluten free bread crumbs instead of the panko crumbs for a gluten free version.
Bread crumbs: Stale bread can be blitzed into breadcrumbs and used instead of panko. The result is a little more rustic, but still crisp once cooked.
Add some spice: Try adding some chilli flakes to the crumb for a bit of heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely you can crumb the chicken cutlets a few hours ahead, then store them in the fridge on baking/parchment paper until ready to cook.
You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Don’t cut them in half and they will just take a little longer to cook.
No, you can continue to cook the chicken in the pan, continually turning every couple of minutes to avoid burning the crumb. I like to finish in the oven so I can prepare other food without having to worry about the chicken. You can also leave it in the oven after you turn it off to keep it warm.
The Recipe
I’d love to hear how you get on with making this recipe if you try it and how much you enjoyed eating it! Leave a review below for me to read, or tag me on Instagram if you share a photo.
Print
Crispy Chicken Cotoletta with Fresh Salsa Verde
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 serves 1x
Ingredients
For the chicken cotoletta:
500 grams chicken cutlets (or 4 pieces)
1 egg beaten
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup cornflour
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan (around 6 grams)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
cooking oil for frying
flaky salt to season
For the lemon salsa verde:
10 grams parsley
10 grams capers
50 millilitres olive oil
35 millilitres lemon juice plus zest of one lemon
flaky salt to season
Instructions
Crumb the chicken
- Pat the chicken cutlets dry then season with kosher salt.
- In a wide bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, grated parmesan and garlic powder.
- In a second bowl, beat the egg with the dijon mustard.
- Place the cornflour in a third bowl.
- Coat the chicken cutlets in the cornflour, shaking any excess off.
- Dip into the egg mixture, again shaking off any excess.
- Coat in the panko crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to help them stick.
- Place the crumbed chicken in a single layer on a baking paper-lined tray and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make the salsa verde
- While the chicken rests, mix all the salsa verde ingredients in a bowl, season to taste and set aside.
Cook the chicken
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add enough cooking oil to form a thin layer.
- Fry the chicken cutlets for about 2 minutes on each side, until lightly golden and crispy.
- Drain off any excess oil with paper towels then transfer the chicken cutlets to a wire rack set over an oven tray and bake in oven preheated to 180ºC for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Season with flaky salt to taste and serve with the salsa verde drizzled over the top or on the side.
Notes
- Cooking oil. I use canola oil, but you can use any neutral high smoke point oil, such as sunflower, vegetable or avocado.
- Resting the chicken. Letting the crumbed chicken rest in the fridge helps the coating stick, ensuring even cooking.
- Prep Time: 10
- Resting time: 30
- Cook Time: 20
Add a Side to this Dish
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This simple cos salad with creamy dill dressing is a staple side dish you’ll want to keep on regular rotation at your dinner table. It’s quick and foolproof to make, and designed to impress with hardly any effort.
Kasey says
One of my favourite dishes for a dinner date night, thanks Ben! Easy to follow recipe and the salsa verde is the perfect balance to the dish