Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast Cutlets
These buttermilk-marinated chicken breasts are a quick and easy dinner idea! They fry to perfection in minutes, and they’re crispy and delicious!
These buttermilk fried chicken breast cutlets are crisp, juicy, and full of flavor—perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. The buttermilk tenderizes the chicken while adding tang, and the light seasoning and paprika in the flour give the cutlets beautiful color and a satisfying crunch.
Because the cutlets cook quickly, this dish is ideal when you want fried chicken flavor without the long marinating or frying time. Serve the cutlets as a main dish, on sandwiches, or sliced over salads for a versatile, crowd-pleasing meal.
Slicing Chicken Breasts
Here’s how you can slice large chicken breasts to make cutlets:
- Place a chicken breast on a cutting board, with the smooth surface facing up.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the chicken breast in half horizontally, cutting through the center of the breast to create two thin, uniform pieces.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- If desired, place a sheet of plastic wrap on the cutlets and pound them gently with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 1/4-inch. This will help them cook evenly and more quickly.
- Remember to always handle raw chicken with care and wash your hands and cutting board thoroughly after handling it to prevent foodborne illness.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Quick-cooking. Thin cutlets fry in minutes, making this faster than traditional fried chicken.
Juicy and tender. Buttermilk keeps the chicken moist and flavorful.
Simple ingredients. Just pantry staples—no complicated breading.
Versatile meal idea. Great as an entrée, sandwich filler, or salad topper.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast: Slice horizontally to make uniform cutlets that cook evenly and quickly.
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes the meat and helps the flour adhere. Low-fat or full-fat both work.
- Hot sauce: Adds subtle heat and depth; Texas Pete, Tabasco, or Frank’s are all great.
- Salt and pepper: Season lightly before dredging for balanced flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Creates the crisp crust; use a wide dish for easy dredging.
- Sweet paprika: Provides mild warmth and helps deepen the golden color.
- Vegetable oil: A neutral high-heat oil ideal for frying.
- Parsley: Optional garnish for a fresh, bright finish.
Steps to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast Cutlets
- Slice the chicken breasts into thin cutlets.
- Combine the chicken, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a bag and refrigerate.
- Stir the flour and paprika together in a shallow bowl.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade; season with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet to 325°F.
- Dredge each chicken piece in the seasoned flour.
- Fry the cutlets in batches, turning once, until fully cooked.
- Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Tips for Buttermilk Fried Chicken Cutlets
- Marinate for at least 2 hours for the best tenderness and flavor.
- Pat the chicken lightly before dredging if very wet—this helps the crust stay crisp.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet; batch-frying keeps the oil temperature steady.
- Use a thermometer to ensure the oil stays around 325°F for even browning.
- Let fried cutlets rest on a wire rack if possible to maintain crispness.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy fried cutlets. Add cayenne or extra hot sauce to the buttermilk marinade and a pinch of chili powder to the flour.
- Herb-seasoned cutlets. Add dried thyme, oregano, or Italian seasoning to the flour for a more aromatic crust.
- Garlic-parmesan version. Add garlic powder to the flour and sprinkle the hot cutlets with grated Parmesan.
- Cornmeal crust. Mix a few tablespoons of cornmeal with the flour for extra crunch and texture.
- Nashville-inspired cutlets. Toss the fried chicken in a mixture of melted butter, cayenne, brown sugar, and paprika for spicy-sweet flavor.
- Sandwich-style cutlets. Serve on toasted buns with lettuce, pickles, and mayonnaise or spicy aioli.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, green beans, or corn.
- Pair with biscuits, cornbread, or dinner rolls for a Southern-style meal.
- Add the cutlets to salads, like Caesar or garden salads, for protein and crunch.
- Serve on sandwiches with tomatoes, lettuce, and your favorite sauce.
- Choose dipping sauces, like honey mustard, ranch, BBQ sauce, or spicy mayo.
How to Store Fried Chicken Cutlets
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven or air fryer until crisp and heated through.
Freeze: Freeze cooked cutlets for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven for best texture.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast Cutlets
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce, I like Texas Pete’s
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Optional Garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create two thin cutlets. Put the chicken in a food storage bag.
- Add the buttermilk and hot sauce to the chicken; seal the bag and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- Put the flour in a wide, shallow bowl; add the paprika and stir to blend.
- Remove the chicken cutlets from the buttermilk marinade and shake off excess. Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 325 F in a deep skillet or Dutch oven.
- Dredge the seasoned chicken pieces in the flour and then fry them—in batches—in the hot oil for a total of about 5 to 6 minutes, or until they are thoroughly cooked. Turn them halfway through the cooking time.
- Transfer the fried chicken cutlets to a paper towel-lined pan to drain while frying the remaining pieces.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
