There are various names for pan-fried breaded chicken but for me it has always been kotlety. My mom made chicken kotlety at least once a week growing up, usually served with potatoes and vegetables such as mizeria (Polish cucumber salad with sour cream- the best), peas and carrots, or beets. Sometimes leftover kotlety would be used to make sandwiches for lunch the next day. It will always be a dish I think fondly of… it’s classic.
Here I added lemon thyme because it is summer (and I have been blessed with lots of fresh herbs!) Lemon thyme smells and tastes like earthy thyme with a hint of citrus. It has these delicate little purple flowers that bloom at the tops of the stems. Lemon thyme is not always easy to find, so feel free to use other herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme, dill, etc. Serve with lemon to squeeze over the chicken and a nice vinegary salad or roasted zucchini.
Servings: 3-4
Ingredients
- 14-16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 breasts)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped lemon thyme, plus more
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup olive oil or neutral oil, plus more as needed
- 1 lemon, quartered
Preparation
Whisk egg in a large bowl. Stir in the garlic and lemon thyme.
Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make four thin pieces. Place one piece at a time in a plastic bag and pound the chicken using a medium heavy-bottomed frying pan until they are about 1/4-inch thick.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Add the chicken into the egg mixture and toss to coat all the pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 1-4 hours (optional). This step helps tenderize and flavor the chicken, but you can also go ahead and bread the chicken right away too.
Place the panko bread crumbs in a shallow plate and season with salt and pepper. Cover a kotlet with the bread crumbs and firmly press the panko into both sides of the chicken. Lightly shake off any excess bread crumbs and set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining kotlets.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, working in batches add 1-2 kotlets to the skillet in a single layer. Cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the kotlets and cook on the other side until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Turn down the heat if the chicken is browning too quickly. Carefully spoon out burnt panko crumbs and add more oil in between batches, as needed. Remove chicken from the heat and place on a wire rack to let any excess oil drip off or drain on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with a little salt, more fresh chopped lemon thyme leaves (if you’d like), and serve with lemon to squeeze all over.