Turn boring weeknight chicken into something easy and delicious. This recipe is like the better and more dinner-appropriate version of sour cream and onion potato chips. The chicken is juicy and mouthwatering with a flavorful crispy crust. The acid from the sour cream marinade helps keep the thin cutlet moist as it fries and ready for devouring. No need to deep fry—the chicken is shallow fried in a skillet with a small amount of oil for easier clean-up.
Serve this dish sliced over a big salad with roasted potatoes and vegetables, or even tossed in creamy pasta or used as the filling for a sandwich. It’s also perfect for a midnight snack.
“The sour cream mixture really flavors the chicken nicely. If your chicken cutlets are really thick, I would recommend frying them on both sides until desired golden brown color, per the recipe, and finish cooking them in the oven at 350F. This way they don’t burn or get too dark.” —Carrie Parente
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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4 chicken thin cutlets, patted dry with a paper towel
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2 teaspoons salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 lemon, zested and quartered
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1/2 cup sour cream
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3 tablespoons thinly sliced chives, more for garnish
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1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
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2 tablespoons onion powder, divided
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1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
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Canola oil, for frying
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Season the chicken cutlets generously with salt and pepper.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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In a medium bowl, combine the lemon zest, sour cream, chives, dill, and 1 tablespoon of the onion powder.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Add the chicken and coat well.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Cover and refrigerate, 1 hour or up to overnight.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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When ready to fry the chicken, combine the panko and remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Working with one chicken cutlet at a time, press the chicken into the panko mixture. Coat evenly on both sides and transfer to a sheet pan or platter.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1/4-inch canola oil over medium heat until the temperature reaches about 375 F.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Working in batches, fry the chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side, lowering the heat as necessary if the chicken is becoming brown too quickly.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Remove and discard excess panko from the skillet with a slotted spoon between batches.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Garnish the cutlets with chives and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
Whole Chicken Variation
Another fun idea is to take this same marinade and use it on a whole chicken. Double the ingredients for the marinade and put it in a gallon bag. Then pat dry a whole chicken, place it in the bag, and seal. Refrigerate overnight, turning every few hours to be sure the whole chicken is coated in the marinade. When you’re ready to roast the chicken, just follow these instructions for roasting. Enjoy!
How to Store
For a tasty make-ahead meal, fry up a large batch of cutlets and let them cool completely. Wrap each cutlet separately, then freeze in freezer bags. Remove desired number of cutlets from the freezer, and let thaw refrigerated. Reheat in a 350 F oven until warmed through.
