Breaded chicken cutlets that can go in (or on) just about anything
It's hard to beat the versatility of a breaded chicken cutlet - on a salad, in a sandwich, over a bed of mashed potatoes. You can't go wrong.
The key to evenly cooked, juicy cutlets is using pieces that are thinner than the boneless, skinless chicken breast halves straight out of the package (which often have tenderloins attached, the source of chicken tenders). Thinner pieces will also cook quicker, which is ideal for a weeknight dinner.
Pounding the breasts is a common solution, but that's a hassle I prefer to avoid. Plus, I found that the more you pound, the wider they become. I wasn't interested in pieces the size of my plate, which are better suited for making schnitzel.
Instead, I cut the breasts in half horizontally. (You could buy cutlets, but they're more expensive and I like to have greater control over the thickness.) Aim for portions that weigh 4 to 6 ounces and are about ½-inch thick. Some very large breasts can even be cut into thirds. It just depends on what's in the package.
Then there's the matter of breading. So many recipes call for it, but it can be problematic. First you dip the chicken in flour, which helps the egg to stick. Then you dip it in egg, which helps the bread crumbs to stick. Last, you dip it in bread crumbs, and hope they stay on. I've done this three-part maneuver many times, and I can't say I ever enjoyed it - or the mess it makes.
I wanted to find an easier way. (A recipe I tested several years ago from the America's Test Kitchen online cooking school helped inform my process.) The goal was to get a good base coat on the chicken so the bread crumbs have something to stick to. A base coat with flavor is a nice bonus. Mustard came immediately to mind, as did mayonnaise. Because I wanted to ensure a crispy outside, I turned to panko, the Japanese bread crumbs whose texture bumps up the crunch even more.
I was so happy with the result I had to wonder why it took me so many years to get here. The mustard was definitely the more flavorful option, with a tang that still works well in a lot of settings. Even when generously applied, the mustard does not overpower. Mayo was acceptable, if bland, but you could also try experimenting with flavored varieties. (We used chipotle-flavored mayo in one recipe test.)