This breaded chicken breasts are thin slices of chicken in a yogurt marinade and coated in breadcrumbs before being pan-fried until golden and crisp.
About this recipe
This recipe is a simpler version of my chicken schnitzel or parmesan-crusted chicken. Chicken breast is all you need to make this dish because all the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples. The breadcrumb coating keeps the chicken tender and juicy.
The breaded chicken takes less than 30 minutes to make. Simultaneously, you can also make a side of mashed potatoes, roast potatoes or rice such as my turmeric rice or rice pilaf with fruit and nuts.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chicken breast - You want something that cooks quickly and won't burn the breadcrumbs, so it has to be the chicken breast, not thighs.
- Yogurt - I love using a yogurt marinade with egg. The yogurt tenderizes the chicken and keeps it moist.
- Mustard - Just a touch of mustard goes a long way with in adding flavor to the chicken.
- Herbs - I love chopping parsley really fine and adding it to my breadcrumbs for a nice refreshing flavor.
Step by step instructions (save/pin)
Chicken
- Cut each chicken breast horizontally into two, so you have 8 slices.
- Use a mallet, meat tenderizer or rolling pin to flatten the pieces (you can also ask your butcher to do that for you).
- Pat dry the pieces, season with salt and pepper.
Marinate chicken
- In a bowl, and with a whisk, combine egg, yogurt, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Then, add the flour and combine well. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Add the chicken pieces and let marinate for 15 minutes to an hour.
Coat the chicken
- In a flat tray or plate, combine breadcrumbs and parsley.
- Season with salt and pepper (you can also add finely chopped herbs like parsley).
- Combine well.
- Using a fork, pick a piece of chicken from the marinade and generously coat it with the parmesan breadcrumb mixture (see video).
- Set aside while you do all the rest of the chicken pieces.
Pan-fry chicken
- To a frying pan (preferably non-stick), add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter.
- Place three to four chicken pieces (do not overcrowd the pan).
- Let cook on one side without touching for one minute on medium-high. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the chicken for 2 minutes more.
- Flip the chicken, add another tablespoon of butter or oil as necessary.
- Cook on the second side for one minute on medium-high. Then, lower the heat and cook for another minute on medium-low.
- Tip - The one-minute high-heat cooking is what makes the crust crispy. But, be careful not to burn it.
- Remove the chicken on a clean paper hand towel to absorb excess fat.
Breaded chicken breast make perfect freezer meals
I usually make more than what I need for one meal, so I can put the extra pieces in the freezer for busy days.
- Cook them as we do above. When they are cold just place them in a ziplock bag. These make amazing sandwiches and wraps. If you have teenagers (who are always hungry) these are great to have on hand. Just thaw as many as you need in the microwave.
- Freeze them uncooked as you see in the image below. All you do is place them uncooked in a ziplock bag, remove as much air, and lay them flat in the freezer until frozen. Once they are frozen you can stack them up and store away in the corner of the freezer until you need them.
To re-use just thaw them in the fridge for a couple of hours and cook them as we do below. My kids love chicken schnitzel so I have these on hand for busy cake days and it's such a blessing.
Why pan-fried not baked?
Personally, I'm not a big fan of putting chicken breast in the oven. If you don't take them out at the right time they can get dry. I love cooking them with a little oil in the pan, which not just cooks them thru nicely and evenly, but also caramelizes them a bit on the outside giving it so much more flavor. If you follow my method as directed you will never ever have a dry chicken schnitzel.
Frequently asked questions
This breaded chicken breast will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Absolutely, these can be made a few days ahead of time and kept in the fridge
Yes, of course. This recipe can be easily doubled and multiplied many times successfully.
You can serve it over any of your favorite pasta. Or, try buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or alongside some sautéed veggies or salad too. My kids love turmeric rice or rice pilaf with fruit and nuts along with their chicken schnitzel, breaded chicken or this parmesan crusted chicken.
This is a very versatile dish and can pair with almost any veggies. Try sauteed green beans or asparagus, baked butternut squash, or carrots. You can even try a side of simple salad like celery, carrots, cabbage, etc.
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Description
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 (2 lb) Chicken breast each divided into 2
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Marinade
- 1 Egg large
- ½ cup Yogurt plain
- 4 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Mustard paste
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Breadcrumb coating
- 3 cups Breadcrumbs dry
- ¼ cup Parsley finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Pan-frying
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
Instructions
Marinate chicken
- Cut each chicken breast horizontally into two, so you have 8 slices.
- Use a mallet, meat tenderizer or rolling pin to flatten the pieces (you can also ask your butcher to do that for you).
- Pat dry the pieces, season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, and with a whisk, combine egg, yogurt, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Then, add the flour and combine well. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Add the chicken pieces and let marinate for 15 minutes to an hour.
Coat the chicken
- In a flat tray or plate, combine breadcrumb, sesame seeds, and parsley.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine well.
- Using a fork, pick a piece of chicken from the marinade and generously coat it with the parmesan breadcrumb mixture (see video).
- Set aside while you do all the rest of the chicken pieces.
Pan-fry chicken
- To a frying pan (preferably non-stick), add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter.
- Place three to four chicken pieces (do not overcrowd the pan).
- Let cook on one side without touching for one minute on medium-high. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the chicken for 2 minutes more.
- Flip the chicken, add another tablespoon of butter or oil as necessary.
- Cook on the second side for one minute on medium-high. Then, lower the heat and cook for another minute on medium-low.
- Tip - The one-minute high-heat cooking is what makes the crust crispy. But, be careful not to burn it.
- Remove the chicken on a clean paper hand towel to absorb excess fat.
Equipment
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Joanita
Simple and yummy
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Joanita