Name: Chicken Cutlet Sandwich
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 6-8 Bacon Slices (cooked crispy); 1 teaspoon Salt – we used kosher salt; 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder; ½ teaspoon Onion Powder; ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper; 1 pound Chicken Breast Cutlets (about ¼ - ½ inch thick (4 thin pieces or 2 breasts, cut in half and pounded thin)); ½ cup All Purpose Flour; 1 cup Plain Breadcrumbs; 1-2 Large Eggs; Canola Oil (enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet by a ½ inch (or use your favorite oil that has a high smoke point)); 4 Ciabatta Rolls; 4 Lettuce Leaves; 8 Tomato Slices (about 2 medium tomatoes); 1 Small Avocado (sliced thin, 8 thin slices); ½ Small Onion (sliced thin); 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise (about ½ tablespoon per sandwich – or to taste)

This chicken cutlet sandwich is easy to make and so good you’ll crave it again and again.

The sandwich, cut in half and displayed on a wood cutting board.

In this recipe, perfectly seasoned chicken cutlets are breaded and fried until golden and crispy. Then they’re layered on ciabatta bread and topped with crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions and avocado slices. Oh, so good!

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Ingredients

6-8 Bacon Slices, cooked until crispy
1 teaspoon Salt – we used kosher salt
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ teaspoon Onion Powder
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
1 pound Chicken Breast Cutlets, about ¼ - ½ inch thick (4 thin pieces or 2 breasts, cut in half and pounded thin)
½ cup All Purpose Flour
1 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
1-2 Large Eggs
Canola Oil, enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet by a ½ inch (or use your favorite oil that has a high smoke point)
4 Ciabatta Rolls
4 Lettuce Leaves
8 Tomato Slices, about 2 medium tomatoes
1 Small Avocado, sliced thin, 8 thin slices
½ Small Onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise, about ½ tablespoon per sandwich – or to taste

Cook the bacon

Cook the bacon until crispy. Choose your preferred method.

Oven preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet, without overlapping and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until it’s cooked and crispy. Remove the bacon from the oven, transfer to a pan or plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Take a look at this article on how to make oven bacon, including step by step instructions and pictures.

Microwave preparation: Line a large, microwave safe plate with 2 (good quality) paper towels. Arrange the bacon slices on the plate without overlapping. Place 2 paper towels on top. Microwave the bacon for 3-4 minutes on high heat. Check on it by carefully lifting the paper towel. Give the bacon an additional 1-2 minutes and check it again. Continue microwaving for 1-2 minutes and checking until the bacon is cooked crisp. Be very careful removing the plate from the microwave it will be very HOT!

Skillet/stovetop preparation: Add the bacon to a large skillet, without overlapping. Cook on medium heat until it’s cooked and crispy, turning occasionally. Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer to a pan or plate lined with a paper towel to drain.

Prepare the chicken cutlets

What is a chicken cutlet? A cutlet is boneless, skinless chicken (usually chicken breast) that has been cut in half lengthwise to make two thinner pieces. It is often pounded with a meat mallet to make it even thinner.

How to make chicken cutlets - Cut each chicken breast in half, lengthwise to get four pieces. Pound the chicken breast to ¼ - ½ inch thick.

Season the chicken - Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir the seasoning to combine. Sprinkle the chicken cutlets on both sides with about half of the seasoning mix. Reserve the remaining seasoning mix for the breadcrumbs.

Bread the chicken

Prepare a breading station: Use a large baking sheet (or a couple of plates) add the flour to one side and the breadcrumbs to the other.
Season the breadcrumbs with the remaining seasoning mix. Combine well using a fork.
Crack an egg or two (depending on the size) into a medium bowl, scramble well using a fork or small whisk.
Working with one piece at a time, lightly coat both sides with the flour. Shake off the excess.
Next, dip the chicken cutlet in the egg mixture; make sure it is evenly moist.
Then, place the chicken in the breadcrumbs, apply an even coating and gently shake off the excess.
Place the breaded chicken on a clean pan or plate and repeat with the remaining pieces. If you’re stacking the cutlets, use a piece of parchment paper in between them so the coating doesn’t stick to itself and flake off.

For step by step instructions (with pictures) click on this dredging and breading article.

Preheat the oven to warm, or its lowest setting (170°F -200°F)

Fry the chicken

Cover the bottom of a large, deep skillet with about a ½ an inch of oil. Heat over medium-high. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add about half the chicken cutlets to the skillet (depending on their size) do not overcrowd the pan, fry in batches. Fry the chicken for about 1½ - 2 minutes per side, or until they’re golden brown (use tongs to turn the chicken so the breading does not flake off).

Remove the chicken from the skillet and place them on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack; this will prevent the breading from getting soggy. Repeat with the remaining pieces. When you remove each batch from the oil use an instant read thermometer to take the internal temperature of the chicken. Make sure it’s at least 165°F. Place them in the warm oven until ready to build the sandwiches.

Build the Sandwiches

Remove the chicken cutlets from the oven and cut each piece roughly the size of the ciabatta bread. Divide the chicken evenly and stack it on the bottom half of the rolls, you should get about 2 pieces per sandwich. Top with 3-4 bacon slices, a lettuce leaf, one or two tomato slices, about three thin slices of avocado and a couple of onion slices. Spread a generous helping of the mayonnaise on the top bun and cover the sandwiches. Secure with a couple of toothpicks and cut the sandwiches in half if desired.

Cook’s Notes:

If you’re using purchased cutlets, make sure they are about ¼ to ½ inch thick, if they’re any thicker; pound them down using a meat mallet.

Prep the avocado last so it doesn’t brown. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise, going all the way around. Give it a gentle twist; you should be able to separate the two pieces. One of the halves will have the seed attached. Pry it out gently. Rejoin the two halves until ready to use; this will slow down the browning process. When you’re ready, remove the peel from the avocado. It should come off fairly easy, grab an end and gently bend it backwards. Cut the avocado into thin slices.

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