Did “Double D” chicken breasts catch your eye? Don’t worry—I’m not talking about anything else. If you’re here for chicken, you’re in the right place.
Double Duty Chicken Breasts! Many store-bought chicken breasts are large enough to feed two people. Instead of cooking one huge piece, slice the breast into two cutlets and double the meal. It’s an easy way to stretch your protein, save time, and create two great dinners from the same prep.
To make cutlets, butterfly each breast and cut through so you end up with two thinner pieces. With a sharp knife, start at the thick end and slice through to the other side. Two cutlets from one breast means quicker, more even cooking and two meals for the effort of preparing one.
Time to cook. When dredging and breading cutlets, do enough for two meals so you only do the prep once. The base recipe below uses four breasts cut in half to yield eight cutlets—great for a family dinner and leftovers for lunches.
Dredged and Breaded Chicken Cutlets
- Servings: 8
- Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, halved butterfly-style (yields 8 cutlets)
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil or canola oil for cooking
Directions
- Season both sides of the cutlets with salt and pepper.
- Pour a thin layer of oil into a nonstick skillet and heat to medium-high.
- Whisk the eggs in a shallow dish.
- Mix panko, Parmesan, parsley, and a pinch of salt and pepper in another shallow dish.
- Dredge each cutlet in the beaten eggs.
- Press the cutlets into the panko mixture to ensure even coating.
- Test the oil by dropping a pinch of panko in; if it sizzles, the oil is ready.
- Fry the cutlets in batches, 3–5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a baking sheet with a rack to drain and rest.
Tip: When cooking multiple batches you may need to add a little more oil between batches to maintain the frying temperature.
You can enjoy the cutlets as-is or turn them into two different “double duty” meals. Here are two easy variations that use the same base cutlets so you get more meals from the same effort.
Open-Faced Ham and Provolone Chicken
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 4 dredged and breaded chicken cutlets
- Thin-sliced smoked ham
- 6 slices provolone cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the cutlets on a baking sheet with a rack.
- Cut two slices of provolone in half and place one half on each cutlet to help the ham adhere.
- Layer ham over the small cheese piece, then top with a full provolone slice.
- Bake about 10 minutes, then switch to broil and watch closely until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Tip: The small piece of cheese beneath the ham acts as a glue so the ham won’t slide when you cut the chicken.
You can serve this with ranch potatoes and steamed broccoli for a balanced, family-friendly meal.
The second variation is a simple, semi-homemade Chicken Parmesan—quick and satisfying for busy nights. A jarred spaghetti sauce works well here, but you can substitute homemade sauce if you prefer.
Semi-Homemade Chicken Parm
- Servings: 4
- Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
- 4 dredged and breaded chicken cutlets
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce
- Shredded mozzarella, cheddar, and grated Parmesan
- Chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Arrange cutlets on a baking sheet with a rack.
- Spoon a couple tablespoons of spaghetti sauce over each cutlet.
- Top with mozzarella, cheddar, and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Finish with a little chopped parsley.
- Bake 10 minutes, then broil briefly until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Tip: Use any leftover sauce with pasta or as a side to round out the meal.
For sides, start boiling pasta while the oven preheats, toss together a fresh salad, and make cheesy garlic bread for a complete meal. These steps let you assemble two dinners using one prep session.
There you have it: simple, practical Double Duty Chicken recipes that make the most of one round of prep. Try the dredged and breaded cutlets, then transform them into open-faced ham and provolone or a quick chicken parm. What are your favorite ways to get double duty from a batch of chicken?