Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets are crispy, golden, and juicy. After making this recipe dozens of times, I discovered the trick to the perfect crispy coating. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Keto Grilled Halloumi and Watermelon Summer Salad and Easy Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon and Paprika.
Why This Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy coating without deep frying
- Ready in just 20 minutes
- Healthier than takeout
- Perfect for busy weeknights
What You'll Need for Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Olive oil
- Optional: Lemon wedges
- Optional: Fresh parsley
- Optional: Your favorite dipping sauce
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breasts: Thinly slice chicken breasts horizontally to create cutlets.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Air Fryer — Crispy texture without deep frying → See on Amazon
- Meat Mallet — Evenly thick cutlets for even cooking → See on Amazon
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
- Prepare chicken: Thinly slice chicken breasts horizontally to create cutlets. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Set up dredging station: Combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk together buttermilk and egg.
- Coat chicken: Dip each chicken cutlet into the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then, dip into the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a plate.
- Air fry: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Lightly brush both sides of each cutlet with olive oil. Place cutlets in air fryer basket, working in batches if needed. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and cooked through.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket to ensure even cooking. Work in batches if needed.
- Pro tip: For extra crispiness, lightly spray or brush chicken cutlets with cooking spray or oil before air frying.
- Pro tip: To prevent soggy chicken, don't overcoat with flour or buttermilk mixture. Let excess drip off before air frying.
Storing & Reheating Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare chicken cutlets up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to air fry.
Freezing Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
Freeze cooked chicken cutlets for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 5-7 minutes.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, then crisp in the air fryer at 375°F for 2-3 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Best substitution: Substitute chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a slightly different texture.
- Make-ahead: Prepare chicken cutlets up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to air fry.
- Troubleshooting: If chicken cutlets are sticking to the air fryer basket, lightly grease the basket before cooking.
Want to level up this recipe?
Meat Thermometer — Ensures perfectly cooked chicken every time → Check price on Amazon
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Seasonings
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Olive oil
Optional Toppings
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley
- Your favorite dipping sauce
Instructions
- Prepare chicken: Thinly slice chicken breasts horizontally to create cutlets. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Set up dredging station: Combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk together buttermilk and egg.
- Coat chicken: Dip each chicken cutlet into the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then, dip into the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a plate.
- Air fry: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Lightly brush both sides of each cutlet with olive oil. Place cutlets in air fryer basket, working in batches if needed. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and cooked through.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- Best substitution: Substitute chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a slightly different texture.
- Make-ahead: Prepare chicken cutlets up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to air fry.
- Troubleshooting: If chicken cutlets are sticking to the air fryer basket, lightly grease the basket before cooking.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken cutlets for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 5-7 minutes.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, then crisp in the air fryer at 375°F for 2-3 minutes.
- Make ahead: Prepare chicken cutlets up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to air fry.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 250
- Protein: 30g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbs: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Cholesterol: 80mg
- Sat. Fat: 2g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout FAQs
Yes, prepare chicken cutlets up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge until ready to air fry.
Don't overcoat with flour or buttermilk mixture. Let excess drip off before air frying. Also, don't overcrowd the air fryer basket.
Yes, bake at 425°F for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and cooked through.
Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 2-3 minutes. Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Yes, freeze cooked chicken cutlets for up to 2 months. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 5-7 minutes.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets – Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
