Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Tenders with Rosemary and Parmesan

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Sneak Preview: Make these Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Tenders with fresh rosemary and parmesan. They are so flavorful and crispy. You won’t miss the gravy or the Colonel. Pan-frying yields maximum flavor without heating the kitchen.

Breaded Chicken Tenders with Rosemary and Parmesan on a platterPin

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Do you have some raw chicken filets or tenders in your refrigerator staring you in the face? Are they daring you to create something exciting without another trip to the grocery store?

You can’t miss with this recipe for chicken cutlets when you add fresh rosemary and parmesan cheese to the breading.

And there’s one more reason to try this breaded chicken filet recipe. You don’t have to turn on the oven. Use a pan on top of the stove. Easy cooking and clean-up!


Happy Cooks Speak Up

“This recipe is in my bookmark …this the only one that make cutlet crispy. I’ve been using this recipe dozens times ..thank you !!!!”LILY F.

Recipe Highlights

Who doesn’t love a tender chicken filet breaded with flavorful crumbs? Fresh rosemary and grated Parmesan cheese set these tenders apart from the norm. Serve with Hominy and Cilantro Rice and these Oven-Roasted Baby Carrots.

It’s best to cook these Breaded Chicken Tenders at the last minute. But if you prepare your crumb mixture beforehand, it won’t take much longer than 10-12 minutes from start to finish. If more convenient, you can always put the chicken in a warm oven to hold it for a few minutes before serving.


Are Chicken Cutlets and Chicken Tenders the Same Thing?

According to EATER, “Chicken cutlets are boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced in half horizontally, creating a thinner piece of meat. These cutlets are then often pounded even thinner before cooking.” That would describe what I am showing you in the pictures for this recipe.

If you want to get technical, tenders are limited to “the pectoralis minor, a small muscle that runs directly under the chicken breast.”

In real life, I think most people use these terms interchangeably. However, these days, more people use “chicken tenders” than “chicken cutlet” when referring to any flat and relatively thin cut and boneless chicken breast meat. So, that’s what I’m going with here.


Ingredients and Substitutions

  • CHICKEN: Use chicken tenders or chicken breasts cut into smaller pieces. Pound until they are at least 1/2-inch thick or less. You could substitute fish. See more below.
  • BREAD CRUMBS: The recipe specifies fresh bread crumbs. That means you will need to use a food processor or blender to make crumbs out of slices of bread. If you use dried bread crumbs, use a lot more oil. The end product won’t be quite the same.
  • ROSEMARY: The original recipe warned NOT to make any substitutions for the fresh rosemary. I concur. It seems like a great excuse to plant your own rosemary bush if you haven’t already.
  • PARMESAN: Freshly grated Parmesan will give the best flavor. I don’t recommend the powdery kind that comes in a can.
  • OLIVE OIL: If you don’t have olive oil, go with a mildly flavored oil like avocado oil.

breaded chicken filets on a serving platterPin

Variations

Swap tilapia for chicken

Try this with tilapia. My sister discovered this variation. My family loves it, too. Because the fish is relatively thin already, there’s no need to pound it first like the chicken. But in every other way, follow the directions as written.


How To Make Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Tenders with Rosemary and Parmesan

cutting chicken breast in half horizontallyPin
Cut chicken in half horizontally to make it easier to pound into thin pieces.
making chicken tendersPin
Slice each half on the diagonal to make tenders.
pounding chicken tenders to make them thinner to cook quicker and more evenlyPin
Cover with plastic wrap and pound until approximately 1/4-inch thick.
making breading with fresh crumbsPin
Throw torn bread, fresh rosemary, parsley, and parmesan into a food processor or blender.
using the food processor to chop crumbsPin
Pulse to chop the crumbs finely.
mixing the eggsPin
Mix eggs in a shallow dish.
Dipping station for chicken tendersPin
Set up your dipping station next to a preheated skillet on the stove.
shows the process of dippingPin
Dip each tender into the egg mixture first, then the breadcrumbs. Next, use your fingers to pat the crumbs onto the tenders.
pan-frying chickenPin
Fry in a large, non-stick skillet with olive oil over medium-low heat.
turning chicken filets in skilletPin
Fry for about 5 minutes on each side. Don’t let the chicken cook too quickly, or it will brown before they cook in the middle.
ready-to-eat chicken tendersPin

Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.

Goofproof Chicken Cutlets (Works Great With Fish, Too)Pin
Yield: 4 servings

Pan-Fried Breaded Chicken Tender Recipe with Rosemary and Parmesan

Speedy, breaded, chicken tenders with maximum flavor – try it with fish, too.

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Video

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 pound (453 g) boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloins
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 thick slices of bread
  • 2 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 large (50 g) egg
  • 1 large (33 g) egg white
  • 3 tablespoons (42 g) olive oil

Instructions

  • Place 1 pound (453 g) boneless skinless chicken breast or tenderloins into a plastic bag one at a time to prevent any splatter or flying pieces; press the air out and seal. Pound chicken with a mallet or palm of your hand until approximately 1/2 inch thick.
  • Season chicken pieces with 3/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Tear up 2 thick slices of bread and place into the bowl of a food processor or blender along with 2 tablespoons freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary. Pulse until finely chopped. Pour crumbs onto a flat plate.
  • Beat 1 large (50 g) egg and 1 large (33 g) egg white with a fork and pour it into a pie plate.
  • Preheat a large skillet and add half of the 3 tablespoons (42 g) olive oil. Oil is ready when it glistens.
  • Dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture, then coat both sides with crumb mixture, pressing lightly to make sure the surface is completely covered. Shake gently to release any excess crumbs.
  • Lay in hot skillet being careful not to crowd pieces. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until it is also golden brown.
  • Remove cooked chicken to a serving platter and add remaining oil to skillet. When the oil is ready, cook the remaining chicken. Serve immediately.

Notes

Keep these in a warm oven up to 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 707mg | Potassium: 481mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    I never tried to make my own breadcrumbs, I’m usually a little lazy on that side of things. I didn’t realize it was that easy.

  2. Megan's Cookin' says:

    5 stars
    That picture sucked me in. It looks delicious!!! I’ll have to put it on the menu this week. Luv when fast + easy = delicious!

  3. Lily Ferrill says:

    This recipe is in my bookmark …this the only one that make cutlet crispy. I’ve been using this recipe dozens times ..thank you !!!!

  4. Have made this .. and it’s delicious! Going to try with cod fillets tonight. I want to try baking these.. What do you suggest? Bake at 350 for 20 minutes?

  5. Every time I look at this picture my mouth waters…Guess it is time to make it!!! I love just about anything chicken and if it takes 20 minute_+ I love it even better.There was a time when I lived without a stove or oven and became very experienced with a 2 burner hot plate, saute’s were one of the favorites. And chicken or fish cutlets (tenders) were great because I could make dinner for me + best friend in short order. We both loved 5 ingredient recipes. I think she could have lived on salad and my salmon patties:-)
    Thanks so much for this recipe I well let you know how it goes over.

  6. I’m going to have to try these out the fresh herbs sound really good with this dish and as I look over to might right I really want a few of the those mini tarts 🙂 such pretty photos you take 🙂

  7. Piper@GotItCookIt says:

    Looks great, I need to try it like this with rosemary in the coating!

  8. Brenda @ Meal Planning Magic says:

    This looks so delicious! I am definitely going to have to add this to the menu in the near future. I have a loaf of homemade whole wheat bread that didn’t quite rise all the way so I’d planned to make it into breadcrumbs anyway–this will be a great way to use some of them up. And so glad my MIL sent home a rosemary plant for us to plant–hers are so big they are like bushes!

  9. 4 stars
    I never tried to make my own breadcrumbs, I’m usually a little lazy on that side of things. I didn’t realize it was that easy.

  10. This looks so good! I’ll have to try it out soon!

  11. I have some talapia in the freezer and have been trying to come up with a new way to fix it. I’m going to give this a try. Your recipes always come out fantastic for me. I need to get in the habit of reporting back to you when I try them! Thanks, Paula!

  12. Flavour wise, you can’t beat adding rosemary to chicken. The Parmesan is a wonderful addition as well. I’ve done a recipe very similar to this one but never with fish. Thanks for the idea, my husband will enjoy it.

  13. Chicken cutlets are a favorite at our house too. And a piece on a bun with a few pickle slices is very similar to Chick-fil-A’s delicious sandwich. A little red sauce and a slice of Mozzarella and then you have chicken parm. Your addition of fresh Rosemary would be extra special for John!

  14. Megan's Cookin' says:

    5 stars
    That picture sucked me in. It looks delicious!!! I’ll have to put it on the menu this week. Luv when fast + easy = delicious!