I tried Stanley Tucci's recipe for chicken cutlets. It's now a staple in my family's dinner rotation.

I made Stanley Tucci's chicken cutlet recipe for my family. The meal called for just five ingredients, took 30 minutes to make, and tasted delicious.

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Jun 10, 2025 - 09:35
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I tried Stanley Tucci's recipe for chicken cutlets. It's now a staple in my family's dinner rotation.
Two chicken cutlets arranged on a plate with pasta and spinach leaves.
Stanley Tucci's chicken cutlet recipe has become a quick and simple staple meal for my family.

Myrna Aguilar

  • I made Stanley Tucci's chicken cutlet recipe from his book, "What I Ate in One Year."
  • I changed the recipe a bit by adding some smoked paprika and garlic powder to the panko.
  • The chicken turned out crispy and juicy, and my family loved it.

I don't cook often, but when I do, I can usually count on my 82-year-old mom to provide some form of "constructive feedback" (read: "This needs more salt.")

Although I'm used to it, her comments stir the competitiveness in me, and I like to try new recipes in the hopes of earning a coveted compliment.

So, when the audiobook of Stanley Tucci's "What I Ate in One Year" left me daydreaming about being in Italy and eating a fabulous meal, I was inspired.

I borrowed the book from my local library and decided to tackle one of the recipes for my family: chicken cutlets. Here's how it went.

The recipe calls for five simple ingredients you probably already have at home.
The recipe ingredients, including chicken breasts, panko, olive oil, whisked eggs, salt, and seasonings organized on the writer's kitchen counter. Stanley Tucci's book, a rolling pin, parchment paper, and a cutting board are also in frame.
In addition to the ingredients mentioned in the recipe, I gathered smoked paprika and garlic powder, too.

Myrna Aguilar

To start, I gathered a few simple ingredients, including four chicken breasts, two eggs, two cups of panko (the recipe called for plain breadcrumbs), ½ cup of olive oil, and salt.

I also collected two pieces of parchment paper, a cutting board, and a rolling pin.

I started by slicing the chicken breasts.
Two chicken breasts sliced in half. The chicken breasts are laying on a cutting board covered in parchment paper.
I sliced each of the chicken breasts in half.

Myrna Aguilar

First, I sliced each of the chicken breasts lengthwise. Then, I placed them on a cutting board between the two pieces of parchment paper.

Next, it was time to pound the chicken.
The sliced chicken breasts are sandwiched between two pieces of parchment paper with a rolling pin laid on top.
Tucci's recipe recommended pounding the chicken until it was roughly half its original thickness.

Myrna Aguilar

This was the fun part. I used a rolling pin to pound each of the chicken breasts until they were thin. The recipe recommended to do so until the pieces were "about half of their original thickness."

After that, I salted the chicken to my liking and set it on a plate.

Before I could bread the cutlets, I had to whisk the eggs and season the panko.
A bowl of panko with some paprika and garlic powder added.
I chose to customize the recipe slightly by adding seasonings to the panko.

Myrna Aguilar

I whisked two eggs in a bowl and set it aside. In a separate bowl, I customized Tucci's recipe by adding a few dashes of smoked paprika and garlic powder to the panko.

Then, I breaded each piece of chicken and set them aside.
A chicken breast, covered in the egg wash, in the bowl of panko.
Both sides of the chicken were evenly coated.

Myrna Aguilar

I dipped each cutlet in the egg bath and panko, and set them aside on a platter.

I cooked the cutlets until they were golden brown on each side.
Two chicken breasts cooking in oil on a pan on a stove.
I cooked the chicken for about five minutes on each side.

Myrna Aguilar

I poured ½ cup of olive oil into a skillet and placed it on the stove over medium to low heat.

Once the olive oil was hot, I added two pieces of breaded chicken and cooked them for about five minutes on each side until they were golden brown.

When they were finished, I placed the chicken on another platter and cooked the remaining pieces.

The chicken cutlets turned out crispy and juicy.
A plate of two cooked chicken cutlets with pasta and spinach leaves.
I paired the cutlets with pasta coated in marinara sauce.

Myrna Agiular

I enjoyed taking the first crispy bite of the chicken cutlets and thought it was 100% better than the chicken at my 20-year-old son's favorite fast-food restaurant.

He devoured the cutlets, too, and said they were the best chicken I've ever made. Compliment — check.

My mom, on the other hand, didn't say whether or not she liked her chicken. However, she finished the dish without any of her usual feedback, so I'd like to think that was her way of giving me a compliment, too.

Tucci's recipe is officially my family's new favorite. The entire process only took about 30 minutes, making it the perfect quick and easy meal. It can also be served with a green salad or any pasta, and it makes for excellent leftovers.

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