Easy Guide to Baked Chicken Cutlets and More

Baked chicken breast cutlets make meal prepping easy and they offer so much versatility with endless seasoning combinations. These baked chicken cutlets are prepared and cooked in less than 30 minutes.

Baked chicken cutlets have become my cornerstone to easy meal prepping. And a multitude of seasonings offers innumerable flavor options. Greek, Italian, Southwestern, Jerk and Barbecue are just a few of the spice blends available.

Baked Chicken Cutlets for easy Meal Prep

Baked chicken cutlets help to make planning meals effortless. By pre-baking several pounds of chicken breasts at one time, I am able to cut the cooking time of many dishes in half. For instance, I can put together my California Quinoa Bowl in half the time. Because the chicken is already cooked, my work time in the kitchen is reduced to chopping some veggies and cooking fresh quinoa. Another option is using pre-baked chicken breasts to make my recipe for Light Chicken and Mushroom Fettuccine or Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie Soup.

Baked chicken breasts are also great for turning simple salads into meals. Mixed green salads, pasta salads and bean salads become a quick and easy meal with chopped chicken breasts added to them. I love leftover Sicilian Bean and Tomato Salad with chopped chicken for a quick lunch or dinner on a hot summer day. And both Greek Seasoned Chicken and Tuscan Chicken are delicious served with my Ita Pasta Salad Sicilian Style. Slice baked chicken up to put on pizzas and flatbreads. Or make tacos with Southwest seasoned chicken. I could go on and on.

Use Baked Chicken in Soups, too!

Often times, pre-baked chicken breasts are the accelerator to making a quick soup. After chopping and sauteing the vegetable base, the stock is added and allowed to simmer bringing the flavors together. Finally just before serving, the pre-baked chicken is chopped and added. Once it is heated through, dinner is ready to serve. I use Greek seasoned chicken to accelerate the cooking time of my Greek-Style Lemon Chicken Soup. Perhaps you would like to try my Chicken Tortilla Soup, using chicken breast seasoned with the Southwest Seasoning below.

Chicken makes a healthy quick Snacks

In addition to meal prepping, they make a healthy snack. Occasionally, I have days when I am exceptionally hungry. And having a piece of baked chicken breast does just the trick to hold me over until dinner. When baked chicken breasts are available, my family never needs to bother with processed lunch meat. As these tender, juicy slices make lovely sandwiches whether they are used whole or sliced thin.

Rubs and Seasonings

There are so many options for seasoning these chicken cutlets. First of all, they can be seasoned with just salt and pepper. But there are countless options. Some of my favorites are Tuscan Herb, Greek, Herbs de Provence, Barbecue and Fajita seasonings.

These seasonings can be purchased from your favorite spice purveyor. My favorite go to purveyor for premixed seasoning blends is the Spice House located in Chicago. I highly recommend their Tuscan Blend. It is a bread dipping seasoning that is wonderful on chicken. Another favorite of mine is the Bronzeville Rib Rub. While it is delicious on ribs, it is fantastic on chicken. Also, I find Greek seasoned chicken is quite versatile in its use in many dishes.

But don’t stop here. Try your hand at making your own seasoning blends. By doing so, you have the flexibility of adding more of the seasonings you like and less of those that you don’t. For instance, my husband and I are not big fans of dried oregano. When I make my own seasoning blends, I tend to use very little dried oregano. But I be heavy handed in the use of cayenne or Calabrese hot peppers. No denying that we like the heat in this household.

I’ve included my recipe for Southwestern Seasoning.

Southwest Seasoning Blend

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Ground Mild Red New Mexico Chilies
• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt  plus 1 teaspoon
• 2 teaspoon dried Oregano
• 1/2  teaspoon Onion powder or minced onion dried

Mix all ingredients to thoroughly combine and store in an air tight jar.

Rubs

Generally, Rubs are composed of either dry or wet ingredients. And, they don’t necessarily have to be called a rub, to be used as one. For example, pesto sauce can be used as a rub. Whether it is purchased or homemade, it is a great way to add flavor to either grilled or baked chicken. However, if you are watching your calorie intake, the high fat content can be a deterrent. For this reason, I make my own pesto. Not only is it easy to make, it provides many other meal prepping options. And, by making my own, I can control the added fats to each meal. Consider trying this recipe for Spicy Jalapeno Pesto as a rub option for chicken. This recipe is one of my husband’s favorites. He uses this pesto sauce on fish, chicken and grilled veggies.

The Chicken

Breast Cutlets or Whole Breasts …You Choose

Another option at your choosing is whether to use whole breasts or breast cutlets. The only difference in the two are cooking time. Boneless skinless breasts may be seasoned and cooked in 20 to 25 minutes depending on the thickness. While chicken breast cutlets will cook in as little as 10-12 minutes.

Easy Bake, Easy Clean Up

When I am in a hurry and need to save a little time in the kitchen, I take a few short cuts. One of my tricks is to line my baking sheet with foil before placing the cutlets on it. I am able to fit about 3 to 4 pounds of chicken cutlets on a baking sheet in a single layer. First, I season half the pan with one seasoning, and the other half with my second choice. Next, flip the cutlets over and season the other side the same way. Before placing in the oven, drizzle one teaspoon of olive oil over the arranged cutlets. Flip the cutlets over once more, in order for the olive oil to be dispersed on the underside.

This prepared pan is now ready for baking, and in less than 15 minutes, your chicken will be ready to consume or store for later use. Furthermore, for quick clean up remove the foil lining and throw it away. How easy is that?

Baking with Cast Iron

One of my other favorite ways to bake chicken cutlets is in a cast iron griddle pan.

While I am preparing the chicken for baking, I place the pan in the oven. Not only is the oven preheating, but so is my pan. By allowing the cast iron to super-heat, the chicken will obtain nice grill marks. Just before the cutlets are ready to go into the oven, I spray the pan with Bak- Klene ZT. This makes clean up a breeze.

Additionally, cast iron skillets do a fantastic job of cooking chicken on the stove top. Sometimes there isn’t enough time to wait for the oven to preheat. Cast iron skillets will cook these chicken breasts on the stove top in just minutes. Once again, the key to making nice grill marks, is preheating the skillet. The chicken breast pictured below were cooked on the stove top.

However, when the weather heats up, the last thing you may want to do is turn on your oven. These chicken cutlets grill up easily on the grill. During the summer months, it is not uncommon for me to take these tender cuts to the grill for a quick sear. The cooking time will be equivalent to baking as the cooking temperature are about the same.

Why Bak-Klene ZT?

While there are a number of non-stick sprays available on the market, I highly recommend this product. First of all, Bak-Klene will not leave a sticky residue on any pan, whether it is stainless steel or non-stick. Many other sprays leave a brown sticky residue on pans that is impossible to clean up. Not to mention, I have had a number of non-stick pans that were ruined due to this build-up.

A number of years ago, I made an inquiry at one of my favorite cooking stores. After being told about Bak-Klene ZT, I purchased a can. I am a true convert. The price on Amazon may seem high, but this price is for 3 cans. I have never seen this product retail for under $10 a can. So this price is quite competitive. Three cans will easily last me for a year.

Weight Watchers and Waist Watchers……………

Unless the seasoning used has a high amount of sugar, the smart point count on a 4-ounce piece of chicken is zero (0) points or 153 calories.

Buon Appetito!

Easy Baked Chicken Cutlets

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Tender and juicy baked chicken cutlets seasoned with your favorite seasoning blend will make delicious quick dinners and make meal prepping for the week easy. 

• Author: Mia
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
• Total Time: 25-30 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Oven Baked
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lbs. Chicken Cutlets or Boneless Chicken Breasts
• 4–5 teaspoons Seasoning
• 2 teaspoon Olive Oil

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Instructions

FOR BAKING SHEET:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
2. If using a baking sheet, spray with Bak-Klene ZT or line with foil.
3. Place chicken cutlets in a single layer on baking sheet.  
4. Here is where you decide on the flavor component.  Using the seasoning blend of your choice, sprinkle half of the seasoning over the chicken cutlets.  Alternatively, you may season with just salt and pepper.  
5. Turn cutlets over and season the second side with the remaining seasoning. 
6. Drizzle the olive oil over the cutlets.   
7. Turn the cutlets over once more allowing the oil to be distributed around and under the chicken.
8. Place in oven for 6-8 minutes.  
9. Before turning the cutlets over, look for signs of doneness.  For instance, check the top edges of the cutlets.  As the chicken cooks underneath, the top-side edges will begin to turn white.  This is a sign that they are ready to turn over.
10. Remove pan from oven, and using tongs or spatula gently turn over each cutlet.
11. Place pan back into the oven and continue to cook an additional 6-8 minutes.  The length of time will depend on the thickness of the cutlet.  Chicken breast is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 148 degrees.  
12. Remove from oven and serve, or store for later use.

FOR CAST-IRON GRIDDLE PAN:

1. Place griddle pan in the oven and preheat along with the oven to 400 degrees.  
2. Meanwhile, season chicken cutlets according to your tastes and drizzle with olive oil.  Rub to distribute around the chicken cutlets.
3. Before placing chicken on griddle.  Remove griddle from oven and spray with Bak Klene ZT.  
4. Place chicken cutlets on griddle in single layer and place griddle back into the oven.  
5. Cook for 5 minutes.  
6. Remove griddle pan from the oven and turn cutlets over.
7. Continue to cook until thermometer register 148 degrees, about 4-5 minutes more.
8. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate.  
9. Serve immediately or cool for storage.

FOR CHICKEN BREASTS, BONELESS AND SKINLESS:

Prepare as directed above for either cast-iron griddle or baking sheet.  To bake continue as outlined below.  

FOR BAKING SHEET:

1. Allow chicken to bake on baking sheet for 10-12 minutes before turning over.
2. Once turned, continue to bake until thermometer registers 148 degrees, about 10 minutes more.
3. Remove from oven to serve or store for future use.

FOR CAST-IRON GRIDDLE:

1. Bake chicken breast for 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove pan from oven and turn breasts over.
3. Place griddle pan back into the oven and continue to cook until thermometer register 148 degrees, about 8-10 minutes more.  
4. Remove griddle from oven, and transfer chicken to a serving platter.
5. Serve immediately or let cool for storage.