Crisp panko-crusted cutlets under tomato sauce and molten mozzarella — broiled briefly so the breading stays loud.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
Before you start
Mise en place
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.
Why this works
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.
6 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Top each cutlet with a stripe of sauce (not a flood), mozzarella, and remaining parmesan; broil 3–4 minutes until molten and spotted.
4 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
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 pass
Chef's 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.