Name: Pesto Parmesan Chicken Cutlets
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 cutlets
Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, butterflied lengthwise and pounded into thin, even pieces; 2 eggs; 1/3 cup Italian panko bread crumbs; 1 cup corn flakes; 1/3 cup grated parmesan; 1/4 cup avocado oil; 4-8 fresh slices of mozzarella cheese; 1/4 cup basil pesto; Chopped fresh basil for garnish

These baked pesto parmesan chicken cutlets are breaded in a crispy parmesan coating, topped with flavor filled pesto, the baked in the oven and covered with melted mozzarella cheese. Serve on a bed of tortellini with a side of vegetables for an easy dinner that your entire family will love.

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Getting dinner on the table in under 30 minutes may feel like an impossible feat at times. That’s why it’s important to have easy kitchen and meal hacks that save you time on prep effort, baking time, and more so that your meal is ready to enjoy in the time you need it to be.

One of my favorite kitchen tips that may seem simple but will truly save you alot of time in the kitchen is to cook with chicken cutlets, or thinly sliced chicken breasts, instead of whole chicken breast. These still feature the nutrition of regular chicken breast but are a smaller serving size and bake much faster!

If you want some inspiration on how to prep delicious, baked chicken cutlets then these pesto parmesan chicken cutlets are a great place to start! They are coasted in a tasty parmesan breading, seared to crispy perfection, topped with pesto and mozzarella then finished off in the oven!

Ready in under 30 minutes, these baked chicken cutlets are full of flavor, come together in under 30 minutes, and pair perfectly with sides like tortellini, noodles, and roasted vegetables for a family friendly and balanced meal. Let’s get to them!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This pesto chicken parmesan will probably be added to you “must make again” list because they are:

Full of flavor: covered with a parmesan coating then topped with basil (store bought or freshly made) and melty mozzarella cheese, these chicken cutlets definitely don’t fall short on flavor.
Ready in under 30 minutes: Prep, brown, and then bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. I recommend prepping all of your sides while your chicken bakes so that your entire meal is ready in under 30 minutes!
Family friendly: Even my toddler loved this pesto chicken and parmesan! Maybe it was the melted mozzarella that sold him but I like to think that it was the entire flavor profile of the chicken.
Perfect for meal prep: These chicken cutlets can be prepped on a Sunday then enjoyed throughout the week for a chicken meal prep idea.
An easy protein option: Chicken cutlets bake quickly and are loaded with lean protein making them the perfect addition to meals.

You’re going to love this baked chicken cutlet recipe and I think your entire family will too!

**Want to make your own basil pesto?**

Check out this easy recipe that would pair perfectly with these baked chicken cutlets!

The blog

baked chicken cutlet with pesto and parmesan.

Ingredients you’ll need:

Here’s what you’ll need to prep these baked chicken cutlets:

2 Chicken breast: Cut in half lengthwise into 4 chicken cutlets total. If you want a tutorial on how to cut a chicken cutlet, you can find one here.
Eggs: These will help the breading actually stick to the outside of the chicken cutlets.
Oil: This is to crisp up the breading on the chicken. I used avocado oil but you could also use olive oil or even butter for a more delicious and flavor filled browned coating!
Grated parmesan: I prefer to use grated because I find that it blends better with the breadcrumb mixture. If you have shredded parmesan, that will work as because we will be pulsing it in the food processor.
Italian breadcrumbs: You could also use plain breadcrumbs but then I would add some Italian seasonings to add flavor to your coating. Italian breadcrumbs will add both flavor and texture!
Corn flakes: Trust me, you want to add corn flakes to your breading for an extra crunch! Generally I coat my chicken entirely in pulsed corn flakes but for this recipe, we are going to blend them with the Italian breadcrumbs for some extra flavor.
Pesto: You may use store-bought or make your own for this recipe. If you want to make your own, you can try my homemade basil pesto that has tons of parmesan flavor!
Fresh sliced mozzarella: I bought a ball of mozzarella and then thinly sliced it into even pieces to drape over the top of the pesto chicken.
Fresh basil: We will add this at the very end for garnish and a boost of fresh flavors.

That’s all you’ll need for this pesto chicken parmesan recipe!

Step by Step Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 425.

Then, start with making your parmesan breading by combining your grated parmesan, Italian breadcrumbs, and corn flakes to a food processor. Pulse until it reaches a fine consistency… the finer the consistency, the better it will stick to the chicken!

2) Cut your two chicken breasts into 4 chicken cutlets by carefully slicing them in half lengthwise. If desired, you can pound your chicken into even 1.5 inch thick pieces for a more uniform baking time.

how to cut chicken cutlets from a chicken breast.

3) Place your parmesan breadcrumbs in a small bowl and whisk your two eggs together in another small bowl. Dip your chicken cutlets first in the egg mixture then in the breading mixture, pressing the breading into the chicken to ensure it sticks.

4) Heat oil for 2 to 3 minutes in your largest skillet. Once the oil is hot, brown the breaded chicken cutlets on one side 3 minutes or until the breading turns crispy and golden. Flip your chicken cutlets and brown on the other side for another 3 minutes. Remove the cutlets and place in a 9x13 dish.

5) Top your browned chicken cutlets with about 1 to 2 tbsp of pesto and then layer on the sliced mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 and your mozzarella cheese has crispy, golden sections in some spots.

6) Garnish with some fresh chopped basil and serve with your sides of choice. Enjoy!

What to serve with pesto chicken parmesan cutlets

These baked chicken cutlets will pair well with a variety of side dishes including:

Tortellini: I served my pesto chicken and parmesan over a bed of spinach ricotta tortellini.

Orzo
Pasta with light sauce: Boost the fiber content by choosing a legume, protein pasta like Banza. You can also add protein to your pasta sauce by making a cottage cheese pasta sauce. If you want more ideas on that, check out these 10 cottage cheese pasta sauce ideas.
Ceasar salad
Roasted brussel sprouts: Here is an easy parmesan brussel sprout recipe you can try.
Air fryer potatoes: you can try these parmesan and dill air fryer red potatoes.
Steamed veggies
and more!

Recipe FAQ:

Do I have to brown the chicken cutlets?
1. Short answer- no, you do not. You can simply add the breaded chicken to the 9x13 baking dish and bake for a little longer until it reaches the proper internal temperature.
  I do highly recommend browning the chicken cutlets though. It adds a nice crispy crunch to your pesto chicken parmesan that you wouldn’t get with just baking!
What is the proper internal temperature for chicken?
1. Chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit which you can check with a food thermometer.
How long can I keep the leftovers for?
1. This chicken will stay good in the fridge for 3 to 4 days! As always, use your judgment when evaluating whether or not to eat something for your meal.

Other chicken recipes you will love:

This blog is not short on chicken ideas and here are a few more that I think you will love:

Bruschetta Caprese Chicken Cutlets

Get the recipe

One Pot Tuscan Chicken and Orzo Pasta

Get the recipe

Hot Honey Chicken Drumsticks

Get the recipe

Yield: 4 cutlets

Author: Lauren Twigge