Crispy Chicken Cotoletta with Fresh Salsa Verde

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This chicken cotoletta is a simple, reliable 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.

Crispy chicken cotoletta topped with fresh salsa verde served with a cos salad with creamy dill dressing.

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!

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

Chicken cutlet coated in cornflour for cooking preparation.

ONE: Coat the chicken cutlets evenly in cornflour, shaking off any excess.

Chicken cutlet dredged in cornflour being dipped in beaten egg.

TWO: Dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, turning to coat completely.

Close-up of hand pressing breadcrumbs onto chicken cutlet in a mixing bowl.

THREE: Place the chicken into the crumb mixture and coat well, pressing the crumbs onto the surface to ensure they stick.

Chicken cotoletta coated with panko breadcrumbs, ready for frying and baking.

FOUR: Place the breaded chicken in one layer on a sheet of baking paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Breaded chicken cutlets cooking in a skillet.

FIVE: Fry the chicken cutlets over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden and crisp.

Golden crispy breaded chicken cotoletta on a wire racked oven tray.

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

Fresh parsley, capers and lemon zest with olive oil and lemon juice in a stainless steel bowl.

ONE: Add the chopped parsley, capers, olive oil, lemon juice and zest to a mixing bowl.

Fresh parsley, capers and lemon zest being mixed with olive oil and lemon juice in a 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

Can you crumb the chicken ahead of time before cooking?

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.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Don’t cut them in half and they will just take a little longer to cook.

Do I need to finish cooking in the oven?

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.