This is our thin and crispy chicken cutlets in air fryer recipe with panko breadcrumbs is delicious. Like Fried Chicken Cutlets but without oil. With just hot air you can cook tender meat inside with a crunchy outside layer.
This is a cheap and healthy meal that gets crunchy on the outside without deep frying. Just a spritz of oil is all you need for delicious protein that’s tender and delicious. One more easy air fryer recipe we love so much we make it weekly now.
If frozen chicken nuggets aren’t your style and you want something homemade, this is it friends! Using thin cuts of chicken breasts you can get the most tender pieces that are lightly breaded with tons of flavor. If you’ve had these at a restaurant but hadn’t made them yourselves it is super easy.
You can definitely cook breaded foods in this hot air machine but it needs to be a sort of egg, flour, breadcrumbs type – not like tempura batter. You can make this as a Ninja Foodi recipe using the lid that is attached.
Ingredient Notes
You will need a few boneless skinless chicken breasts, or already sliced chicken cutlets. If doing yourself use a cutting board and a really sharp knife to do this. All you need to do is hold your hand on top flat, use your knife to slice THIN in half or if really thick you could slice into thirds. Sometimes you can find already prepared at store bought this way.
If you want them to be really fall apart in your mouth tender like Thin Chicken Breast in Air Fryer you can pound them a bit. Just place 1 piece in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and hit all over with a meat mallet. Make sure it is the same thickness all the way across for best results.
To bread it is quite simple, you just need 3 shallow dishes for this. Fill one with all purpose flour, one with whisked egg and another with Panko breadcrumbs. The latter can be any style you want really.
I like to blot my meat with paper towels a bit so the breading sticks nicely. Season the outsides with salt and pepper and then create an assembly line; flour, egg, then breadcrumbs. Press lightly so they stick and stay on well. You will want to spray your basket so they don’t stick and all the outsides peel off.
How Long to Cook Chicken Cutlets in Air Fryer
8 minutes is the average. The thinner they are the faster they will get done, but will dry out if left in too long. Luckily it is easy to open up the basket and check as often as you’d like. For smaller pieces cut the time down by 1 minute and check with a thermometer.
How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken Cutlets Air Fryer
If you need instructions for air fryer frozen chicken breast it will take a bit longer than defrosted for sure. BUT a lot less than waiting for an oven to heat up. Timing is from 7-15 minutes total. This one is lightly breaded but you could use the same temp. and timing for no breading on the meat too.
How do you know when they are done?
Cook time will vary depending on how thick your pieces are. Slice into middle to ensure there is no pink remaining and is 165 degrees F or more before consuming. Check internal meat temperature removed from the bin to get an accurate read.
How to Serve
Serve as is with a few side dishes or you could serve it up in the middle of two buns with some tartar sauce and lettuce too. Yes we have made all sorts of chicken recipes over the past year. When it comes to kids though they want finger foods.
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 air fryer
- 2 shallow bowls
Ingredients
- 2 small chicken cutlets, sliced thin in half or thirds if they are thick, timing is for thin cutlets
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 spray olive oil
Instructions
- Put bread crumbs in a shallow bowl with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix together.
- Put flour into another shallow bowl, and whisked eggs in a 3rd shallow dish.
- Slice chicken cutlets THIN (in half or thirds), sprinkle with salt and pepper on the outside. Dredge into flour, then into the egg and allow excess to fall off, then put into breadcrumbs and gently press on both sides so it sticks.
- Spray inside of basket with non stick spray and lay chicken inside.
- Cook for about 8 minutes at 400 degrees F. Cook time will vary depending on how thick your pieces are. Slice into middle to ensure there is no pink remaining and is 165 degrees F or more before consuming.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to reheat leftovers
Have leftovers? Make sure to store them in freezer bags with all of the air sucked out of them. When reheating chicken in air fryer just put them back into your basket for about 2 minutes to crisp the outsides again. It won’t be as good as the first run but better than reheating in the microwave for sure.
Looking for what to cook next? Try our frozen chicken tenders in air fryer with homemade biscuits or you can make homemade air fryer popcorn chicken too. Both of these are hits with my girls especially when they want a quick snack in between activities.
Very Good cutlets. It was my first time making anything in the air fryer and they came out very crispy. I did use the max crisp button, and it took a little longer because the cutlets were on the thicker side. Will definitely make again.
OH good glad it was a hit
Can I make these ahead of time?
It takes a lot more than 8 minutes to cook chicken breasts in an air fryer.
These are cutlets meaning they are sliced quite thin so that is why it doesn’t take long. Complete breasts that are thicker, yes take more time
Most air fryers say not to use spray oil on your basket because it will ruin the coating. Pam and other sprays have lecithin and it causes pitting and ruins the coating of the basket.
Thanks for this recipe. I am an old cook (70) trying these new appliances. I love my air fryer!
I always use it, I wouldn’t worry