Best Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets
Chicken cutlets from the air fryer: crispy outside, juicy inside, and none of the splattered oil situation you'd otherwise be dealing with. I know "air fryer chicken cutlets" sounds like a compromise, but it's not. The crust is golden and real, and the whole thing comes together without much effort.
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 chicken cutlets Or 2 large chicken breasts cut into cutlets.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning Storebought or homemade Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp if you'd like more of a kick
Buttermilk Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
Honey Mustard Sauce (Optional)
- 2 TBSP mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup raw liquid honey
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
- For the marinade: Whisk the buttermilk, Frank’s RedHot®, sea salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Place the cutlets into the marinade, submerging them completely. Transfer them to the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, or up to 24 hours.2 cups buttermilk, 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- If you're making the honey mustard sauce: mix the mayo, honey, mustard, apple cider vinegar, and paprika in a small bowl until well combined; set it aside.2 TBSP mayonnaise, 1/4 cup raw liquid honey, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp paprika
- Set up three shallow, wide containers: one containing the flour, another containing the beaten eggs, and one for the breading mixture. (You could also use pie plates or these handy breading trays.)1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 eggs beaten, 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp paprika
- Preheat the air fryer to 390º F. Once preheated, mist the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Remove the cutlets from the buttermilk mixture. Shake off any excess buttermilk.
- Set the cutlets onto a sheet, plate, or cutting board and gently pat them dry with paper towels. (Leaving the cutlets wet will yield soggy breading.)
- One by one, dredge the chicken cutlets into the flour, then the eggs, and finally, the bread crumbs.
- Place the breaded cutlets into the preheated air fryer basket and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, flip them over, give the basket and cutlets a light mist with cooking spray, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the meat registers at 160ºF with a meat thermometer. You’ll likely have to do this in two batches.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with the honey mustard sauce for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
*Nutrition: Calculated without the honey mustard sauce.
*Buttermilk: You can purchase buttermilk at the store, but in a pinch, you can make it at home. Mix 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar with enough full-fat milk to measure 1 cup (on top of the vinegar). Alternatively, you can use lemon juice instead of vinegar. Gently stir the mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cutlet | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
