Chicken Cutlets with Prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano

This delightful dish is based on Cotoletta alla Bolognese, a traditional Italian dish made with veal. In this version, it's prepared with boneless chicken breasts that get a crunchy exterior from a breadcrumb crust and a topping of prosciutto and Parmesan cheese that is rich, nutty, sharp, and salty. And that would probably be enough, but a quick simmer in thyme-infused, buttery chicken stock ensures each bite of chicken is both crispy and juicy all at once.

Can I pan-fry using olive oil?

Yes, you can fry using olive oil. Although it has a lower smoke point than other neutral oils, extra-virgin olive oil can be heated as high as 400℉. And regular olive oil can go up to 470℉. That’s about 25 to 50 degrees hotter than the temperature for most deep frying.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Swirling the pan while cooking the cutlets help to make sure the breadcrumbs toast to golden brown evenly as the chicken cooks.

If your cutlets are thicker in one spot than the rest of the piece, pound the area with a meat mallet to even the thickness — doing so will help promote even cooking.

Suggested pairing

Serve a classic, cherry-inflected, Italian red. Try Selvapiana Chianti Rufina with this dish.

This recipe was developed by Liz Mervosh; the text was written by Cheryl Slocum.