Italian chicken cutlets are a classic dinner that’s as easy to make as it is satisfying. With melted mozzarella, a spoonful of marinara, and fresh basil on top, this dish is packed with homestyle Italian flavors—without the fuss. If you’re craving a comforting meal that comes together quickly, this is one you’ll want to save.
This Italian chicken cutlets recipe is one of those go-to meals that truly earns a spot in your regular dinner rotation. It’s part of our lineup of reliable 30-minute recipes that take the stress out of meal planning. The baked chicken cutlets come out juicy inside with a perfectly golden brown exterior, and the layers of cheese, sauce, and herbs bring all the taste of a slow-cooked classic in a fraction of the time. Serve it as a main course for guests or keep it simple on a weeknight; it’s a dish you can count on.
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Why We Love This Baked Chicken Cutlets
- It’s a healthy meal!
Certainly healthier than most Italian chicken cutlets, because these are oven baked without breading. This means, there’s no frying oil, and the meal is lower in carbs. - Quick and easy to make in bulk.
Our recipe makes 6 cutlets in 30 minutes, which is great for a family of 4 — it’s even quicker than our Instant Pot Chicken Pesto! And you can easily make more to serve more people, or to have leftovers for another meal later in the week. - The classic Italian flavors go well with just about everything.
Similar to our chicken tenders marinade, you have almost limitless options for sides to serve with this meal.
If healthy poultry recipes are your goal, we also recommend making our recipe for chicken caprese or chicken tenderloins recipe healthy. With fresh veggies and pasta, it’s one that most kids absolutely love! Our chicken piccata Cheesecake Factory Copycat recipe is also a hit at every family dinner.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless breast meat is best for making baked cutlets. You can purchase a package of cutlets at the store, but they tend to be a bit more expensive. To save some money, make the cutlets yourself! Check out the section below for instructions.
- Italian seasoning: If you have dried basil, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, and thyme, then you already have Italian seasoning! Leaving out just one or two of these is okay, but you definitely want at least oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
- Marinara sauce: Homemade marinara sauce is always better than store bought.
- Basil: Fresh, not dried, to sprinkle onto the finished baked cutlets.
What is a Chicken Cutlet?
A cutlet is simply a chicken breast that has been sliced lengthwise into two, thinner pieces. Because they are thinner than breasts, they absorb balsamic marinade for chicken and dry rubs (like our homemade seasoning for chicken tacos) more quickly.
How to Cut Cutlets from Chicken Breast
Pat the chicken breast dry before beginning, and place it on a dry cutting board.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
To prevent the cutting board from slipping around, place a damp kitchen towel underneath it.
With one hand palm-down on the breast, carefully slide a sharp knife horizontally through the center until it comes clean through.
See our post on how to cut a chicken breast for more tips on how to transform the breasts into cubes, cutlets, and tenders.
Recipe Variations
- Classic chicken parm style: Turn these into a cozy twist on chicken parm by breading the cutlets with plain breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs. Before baking, dip the chicken in an egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden.
- Use chicken thighs: For a richer flavor, substitute boneless chicken thighs in place of cutlets. They stay incredibly juicy and pair beautifully with fresh mozzarella and a splash of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
- Breaded and fried option: Prefer a crispy finish? Coat the cutlets in flour, eggs, and a mix of Italian bread crumbs and parsley, then shallow-fry in canola oil or vegetable oil until golden. Make sure to shake off any excess flour or egg to keep the coating light and crunchy.
- Light and lemony variation; Skip the sauce and cheese, and instead season your cutlets with onion powder, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs before baking. Serve with a side salad for a bright and refreshing take on breaded chicken cutlets.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Casserole dish – or large shallow baking dish
- Meat tenderizer or rolling pin
- Basting brush
- Meat thermometer
- Small bowls
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
The best kitchen tool to use for pounding/flattening is the flat side of a meat mallet.
How to Make Italian Chicken Cutlets Recipe
- Prep the oven and baking dish
Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside. - Slice and pound the chicken
If you’re not using pre-cut chicken cutlets, slice boneless, skinless breasts in half horizontally, then pound them between plastic wrap to an even ½ to ¾ inch thickness. This helps them cook quickly and evenly—no burned edges or raw centers. Bake at 425°F until almost cooked through, then finish with sauce and cheese in the oven to avoid overcooking.
- Season and Arrange
Place the cutlets in a single layer in the baking dish. Brush each with melted butter, then sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning and sea salt. This seasoning blend is what gives these baked chicken cutlets their herby, savory flavor. - Bake and Add Toppings
Bake the seasoned chicken for 15 minutes. Then, remove the dish from the oven and top each cutlet with a slice of mozzarella cheese and a spoonful of marinara sauce. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
Bake chicken cutlets at 425°F for even cooking in about 30 minutes. Don’t cook them fully at first—leave them slightly underdone so they finish cooking when you add the sauce and cheese. This prevents the meat from drying out during the second bake.
The first round of cook time takes 15 minutes. The second time it’s in the oven, with the cheese and sauce, can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes. So it can take up to 25 minutes or as few as 20 — that’s where a digital thermometer comes in handy.
- Garnish and Serve
Once done, remove from the oven and top with fresh basil, cut into thin strips. Serve warm with your favorite side dishes.
Serving and Plating Suggestions
Plating is just as important as flavor. Adding ribbons of basil (the culinary word is a “chiffonade cut”) to your baked chicken cutlets is an easy and really effective way to make the meal look impressive!
To cut basil chiffonade style:
- Stack up to 10 basil leaves on top of one another.
- Roll the leaves as tightly as you can into the shape of a cylinder or cigar.
- Cut the roll of basil into very thin slices.
- Loosen the strands of basil, and you should have beautiful ribbons to use as garnish!
Serve this dish on holidays with sweet potato casserole with canned yams recipe! This recipe is also good with a light lemony arugula salad or roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes for a balanced meal. Add a side of garlic-butter pasta or creamy risotto to make it heartier. Use leftovers as a filling for your sandwich.
Recipe FAQs
The ideal oven temperature depends on how thick the chicken is and if it’s breaded. Higher heat speeds up cooking but can dry out the meat. With evenly sized pieces like cutlets, there’s less risk of uneven cooking, so a hotter oven works well if you’re keeping an eye on doneness. We bake our chicken cutlets at 425°F, which gets them crisp and ready to serve in just 30 minutes.
For any baked poultry recipe, it is all about reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. to eliminate any risk of food poisoning from undercooking the poultry.
Italian chicken cutlets are safe to reheat up to 4 days after cooking as long as they are kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheating is best in the oven with a bit more sauce and cheese on top for extra flavor! Reheat baked cutlets at a lower temperature to medium heat, closer to 350, until the cheese melts and the meat is warmed through.
Consider these other 30-minute meal recipes!
- Spicy Meatball Recipe
- Beefy Green Bean Casserole with Tater Tots
- Juicy Baked Pork Steak
- Baked Chicken and Orzo
If you tried this Italian chicken cutlets recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. You may also tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Thanks for visiting!
Italian Chicken Cutlets
Equipment
- 10" cast iron skillet or casserole dish - or large shallow baking dish
- meat mallet - OR
- rolling pin
- basting brush
- instant-read meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 6 chicken cutlets or 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 slices mozzarella cheese
- ¾ cup marinara sauce
- 8 basil leaves cut chiffonade-style, julienned, or finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Prepare the baking dish by greasing it with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- If using chicken breasts, slice them into cutlets as follows. (If using cutlets, go to the next step).Place one chicken breast onto a cutting board in front of you. Place the palm of your non-cutting hand flat over the top of the breast and hold a well-sharpened chef's knife in the other hand.Very carefully, slide the knife horizontally through the breast, creating two cutlets. To avoid cutting yourself, don't use a back and forth sawing motion – let the knife do all of the work.Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
- Once you have 6 cutlets, place them between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin, or anything heavy, like a cast-iron skillet, pound the cutlets into an even thickness. (Aim for a thickness of 1/2 to 3/4-inch).
- Arrange the cutlets in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Brush each with melted butter, then season with Italian seasoning and salt on both sides. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Lay a slice of mozzarella cheese over each cutlet. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and internal temperature of chicken is at least 165ºF.
- Garnish with basil chiffonade and serve while warm.
Notes
- To prevent the cutting board from slipping around, place a damp kitchen towel underneath it.
- The best kitchen tool to use for pounding/flattening is the flat side of a meat mallet.
- Classic chicken parm style: Turn these into a cozy twist on chicken parm by breading the cutlets with plain breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs. Before baking, dip the chicken in an egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a pinch of black pepper. Place them on a greased baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden.
- Use chicken thighs: For a richer flavor, substitute boneless chicken thighs in place of cutlets. They stay incredibly juicy and pair beautifully with fresh mozzarella and a splash of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
- Breaded and fried option: Prefer a crispy finish? Coat the cutlets in flour, eggs, and a mix of Italian bread crumbs and parsley, then shallow-fry in canola oil or vegetable oil until golden. Make sure to shake off any excess flour or egg to keep the coating light and crunchy.
- Light and lemony variation; Skip the sauce and cheese, and instead season your cutlets with onion powder, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs before baking. Serve with a side salad for a bright and refreshing take on breaded chicken cutlets.
- Italian chicken cutlets are safe to reheat up to 4 days after cooking as long as they are kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating is best in the oven with a bit more sauce and cheese on top for extra flavor! Reheat baked cutlets at a lower temperature, closer to 350 until the cheese melts and the meat is warmed through.
Nutrition
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Linda says
The spices, cheese and marinara sauce is a perfect combination. Easy to prepare and delicious to eat!
Dina and Bruce says
This was so juicy and tender! Thank you for this recipe!