Instructions

• Place 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts on a cutting board. Slice each breast in half widthwise to make 8 cutlets.
• Put one cutlet at a time between two pieces of parchment paper, plastic wrap, or a cut-open plastic bag. Gently pound each cutlet with a meat mallet or tenderizer until it is no thicker than 1/4 inch. Repeat for all cutlets.
• Pat the pounded cutlets dry with paper towels and set them on a plate or tray.
• Prepare three shallow dishes for dredging: in the first dish combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste; in the second dish whisk 5 large eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper; in the third dish combine 3 cups regular or Italian bread crumbs with coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
• Working one cutlet at a time, dredge a cutlet in the seasoned flour, coating both sides and shaking off excess.
• Transfer the floured cutlet to the egg mixture and fully coat it, letting excess egg drip off.
• Press the egg-coated cutlet into the bread crumbs, turning and pressing so the crumbs adhere evenly. Place the breaded cutlet on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or on a platter. Repeat steps 5–7 until all cutlets are breaded.
• Pour enough avocado or olive oil into a large frying pan to come about 1/8–1/4 inch up the sides. Heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat until it is shimmering and hot (about 350–375°F if using a thermometer).
• Add 2 cutlets at a time to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and the cutlets are cooked through (internal temperature 165°F or no pink in the center).
• Transfer cooked cutlets to a wire rack set over a sheet tray to drain while you fry the remaining cutlets. Repeat step 9 until all cutlets are cooked.
• Let the cutlets rest 1–2 minutes before serving.