Easy weeknight dinner featuring Crispy Chicken Cutlets with a luscious Vodka Sauce for an easy and delicious meal. Crispy chicken cutlets coated in Italian breadcrumbs lightly fried until crunchy and golden served in a velvety tomato vodka sauce that’s finished with melted mozzarella and topped with fried prosciutto bits and basil leaves. These cutlets are made all in one pan and in no time!

This is some seriously delicious weeknight dinner eating. A fun little play on chicken parmesan without the parm because its not needed and vodka sauce instead of tomato sauce.

Chicken cutlets are a super easy meal to make and very popular as a household staple when it comes to quick dinners. The chicken doesn’t need to sit or be prepared ahead of time which makes this style of meal an ideal option to feed the fam. Start by pounding down the chicken to get it to an even thickness all over that way it cooks to same doneness. Next the chicken gets dredged in the eggs and then coated in Italian breadcrumbs. That’s it. Drop them in a pan with hot oil and fry until crispy and golden on both sides. The pan doesn’t need to be full of oil, just enough for a shallow fry which is enough oil to cover the entire bottom of the pan and a little up the sides.

 VODKA SAUCE

Homemade vodka sauce is definitely my go to sauce. Its made mostly with pantry staples except for the heavy cream used to thicken the sauce. This is why I love this sauce so much. All it is, is onions, garlic, tomato paste, vodka, tomato sauce, spices and cream. Just a few ingredients and you’ve created something spectacular. AHHH its my go-to when im in a pinch too i’ll make some quick pasta and this sauce is even amazing in sandwiches.

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Print Recipe

crispy chicken cutlets with vodka sauce

crispy chicken cutlets with vodka sauce, fried prosciutto and basil finished with basil oil

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Keyword: chicken, cutlets, fried basil, parmesan chicken, vodka sauce

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
• 6 slices of prosciutto
• fresh basil leaves
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup passata
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 cup mozzarella shredded
• vegetable oil for frying

garnish

• basil oil

Instructions

• Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet about 1 1/2 inch up the edges of the pan.
• Pound the chicken breasts down to an even thickness, about 1 inch.
• In a bowl add the eggs and whisk, in a separate shallow bowl add the breadcrumbs.
• Dredge the chicken in the eggs and then into the breadcrumbs ensuring both sides are fully coated. Set aside.
• Once the oil is hot, add the prosciutto and basil leaves. Fry until crispy about 2-3 minutes. Set aside onto paper towel.
• Add a little bit more oil if needed to the pan. There should be enough oil to shallow fry the chicken.
• Fry the chicken in the same pan until crispy and golden. About 3-4 minutes a side. Flip once the bottom begins to crispy and brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
• To make the sauce: in the same pan add the onions and sauté until softened and translucent.
• once the onions are soft, add the garlic stirring for an additional minute. Add the tomato paste and vodka to the pan. Cook over medium heat until most of the vodka cooks down and begins to thicken.
• stir in the tomato sauce and season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Pour in the heavy cream and reduce to simmer until thickened. Once the sauce is nice and thick its ready to serve.
• To serve, spoon some of the sauce onto each plate, place a chicken cutlet overtop the sauce and pour more sauce overtop. Top with some shredded mozzarella, fried basil and fried prosciutto.
• Finish it off with some basil oil and lemon wedge. Enjoy!