Sesame Chicken Cutlets

These Sesame Chicken Cutlets are crispy on the outside and juicy in the center. Lightly breaded and shallow fried to tender perfection, you’re going to love this delicious sesame chicken cutlet recipe.

These cutlets are super versatile. Enjoy them over my Lebanese Rice, or with my Spicy Tahini Pasta. Another option would be to serve them alongside my Cucumber Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing. No matter what, this chicken recipe is addictive.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy to make. This sesame chicken recipe is easy to make and loaded with flavor.

Versatile. Enjoy these sesame chicken cutlets in a variety of ways. Serve over a bed of rice, enjoy with a salad, or serve in a sesame chicken bowl.

High-quality chicken. This recipe calls for Smart Chicken’s organic boneless skinless chicken breasts or their boneless skinless thin sliced chicken cutlets. Their chickens are 100% air chilled without added water. They are fed an exclusively organic non-GMO diet and are never given antibiotics or animal by-products.

This post is sponsored by Smart Chicken. While I was compensated for my time, all opinions are my own.

Recipe Ingredients

• Chicken – This recipe calls for one pound of Smart Chicken chicken breasts or Smart Chicken’s pre sliced thin cutlets. If using breasts, butterfly them into four thin cutlets.
• Seasoning – Season the cutlets with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.
• Eggs – Whisk one or two eggs to coat the seasoned chicken cutlets.
• Breading – Combine white sesame seeds and panko breadcrumbs on a plate. Dredge the egg dipped chicken through the breading making sure it is well coated on both sides.
• Oil – Shallow fry the cutlets in avocado oil. Avocado oil has a high smoke point and is neutral in flavor.

Variations

• Enjoy this sesame chicken sliced in a rice bowl. Serve chicken over steamed white or brown rice.
• Add pickled vegetables to the rice bowl. Try quick pickled red onions, cucumber or carrots.
• Add fresh herbs to the rice bowl. Fresh herbs like torn cilantro, parsley, chives or green onions all work well.
• Spice up the rice bowl. Try adding sliced jalapeno, chili oil, and or sliced Fresno peppers.
• Add some texture to the rice bowl. Crushed peanuts or an extra sprinkle of sesame seeds is a great way to add more texture and flavor.
• Make the rice bowl zestier. Keep things bright by serving fresh lime wedges on the side.
• Keep it simple. Enjoy these sesame chicken cutlets over my easy creamy mashed potatoes with a side of my crispy oven roasted carrots and air fryer green beans almondine.
• They would also taste great with my crispy sweet potatoes with spiced tahini dressing or roasted broccoli with spicy peanut sauce. Another great side would be my miso butter sweet potatoes.

How to Make

Prep the Chicken

Butterfly the chicken breasts into four thin cutlets. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper.

Bread the Chicken

Plate 1. Add whisked egg to the first plate.

Plate 2. Combine the white sesame seeds and panko breadcrumbs on the second plate.

Dredge the seasoned chicken cutlets through the egg then through the breading. Make sure the breading adheres to both sides. Repeat for all cutlets.

Choose a Cooking Method

Shallow Fry: Add avocado oil to a large sauté pan. Once hot but not smoking, add the cutlets. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shallow fry for 5-6 minutes per side or until the chicken is golden brown and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack. Make sure there is paper towel under the cooling rack to absorb any excess oil that drips from the cutlets.

Oven Bake: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Bread the chicken according to the steps listed and add it to the tray. Spray the chicken with avocado oil spray and bake for 20-22 minutes flipping halfway through. Be sure to spray the second side with avocado oil spray so the chicken gets extra crispy.

Air Fry: Air fry the cutlets instead of pan frying them. Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Spray the basket with avocado oil spray. Add the chicken cutlets making sure not to overcrowd the basket. The cutlets should not overlap. Spray the cutlets with avocado oil spray and bake for 8-10 minutes flipping halfway through. Spray the second side with avocado oil spray so they get crispy and golden brown. Work in batches if necessary.

Assemble

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy the chicken in a rice bowl with sides, over a bed of rice noodles or over a salad.

Storage

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through.

Expert Tips

• When shallow frying, do not overcrowd the pan. This will lower the oil temperature too much and yield soggy chicken versus crispy chicken.
• Once cooked through, set the cooked chicken on a paper towel for 30 seconds to absorb excess oil, then quickly move the chicken to a cooling rack. This prevents the bottom of the chicken from getting soggy. Otherwise, steam will build up underneath the hot chicken and make the crust soggy.
• Option to place the paper towel under the cooling rack and allow the chicken to drip off any excess oil.
• Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the chicken.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve with Sesame Chicken Cutlets

• Crispy Oven Roasted Carrots
• Air Fryer Green Beans Almondine
• Sautéed Spring Vegetable Salad
• Crispy Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Tahini Dressing
• Roasted Broccoli with Spicy Peanut Sauce
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Lebanese Orzo Rice
• Miso Butter Sweet Potatoes