Crisp panko-crusted cutlets under tomato sauce and molten mozzarella — broiled briefly so the breading stays loud.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
4
🍗 Chicken Breast ›
butterflied and pounded thin
100 g
🌾 Flour ›
2
🥚 Eggs ›
beaten
150 g
🍞 Panko ›
80 g
🧀 Parmesan ›
half in the crumbs
400 g
🥫 Canned Tomatoes ›
simmered into sauce
150 g
🧀 Mozzarella ›
6 leaves
🌿 Basil ›
120 ml
🛢️ Vegetable Oil ›
for shallow frying
Add all to shopping list
Mise en place
Before you start
25m
Prep
25m
Cook
50m
Total
4
Serves
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Chicken Breast — butterflied and pounded thin
Eggs — beaten
Parmesan — half in the crumbs
Canned Tomatoes — simmered into sauce
Vegetable Oil — for shallow frying
4 steps
Method
1
Set up the line: flour, egg, then panko mixed with half the parmesan. Bread each pounded cutlet, pressing the crumbs on.
💡
One hand for dry, one for wet, or you'll bread your fingers instead.
2
Shallow-fry the cutlets in 1 cm of hot oil, 3 minutes per side, until deep gold. Drain on a rack.
Learn the technique ›
3
Top each cutlet with a stripe of sauce (not a flood), mozzarella, and remaining parmesan; broil 3–4 minutes until molten and spotted.
💡
Sauce the middle only — buried breading turns to mush. The crisp edges are the reward.
4
Finish with basil. Serve with spaghetti or just a lemony salad.
From the chef
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Chianti or Barbera — acid for acid.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.