Viral Ground Chicken Cutlet

These giant crispy oven-fried ground chicken cutlets give you all the crunch of classic breaded chicken without slicing, pounding, or frying chicken breasts. Seasoned ground chicken is pressed into two oversized, ultra-thin cutlets, coated in panko, and baked at high heat until the outside is deeply golden and crispy. Slice them into strips, pile them onto sandwiches, or serve them with your favorite dipping sauce for an easy chicken dinner that’s anything but boring.

Why This Giant Ground Chicken Cutlet Recipe Works

I first came across this ground chicken cutlet method while scrolling Instagram and saw diningwithskylar making one giant, crispy cutlet on a sheet pan. I’d never thought to use ground chicken this way, so I had to see if it was actually as good as it looked.

After making my own recipe and using the sheet pan oven-fried method, I completely understood why it's gone so viral and it's become one of my favorite ground chicken recipes. Pressing the ground chicken into a very thin layer gives you much more crispy surface area than a regular chicken patty, while the Parmesan and seasonings keep the center flavorful. It eats like a traditional breaded cutlet, but there’s no chicken breast to slice or pound.

The parchment paper trick also makes it possible to coat both sides without the raw cutlet falling apart. Once the panko is thoroughly sprayed with avocado oil, it browns and crisps in the oven instead of staying pale and dry. The short broil at the end finishes the crust and gives it that deep golden color.

This recipe makes two large cutlets, so you can serve them whole or slice them into strips, wedges, or sandwich-sized pieces. I especially like making extra because the leftovers work just as well in salads, wraps, bowls, and chicken Parmesan.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Ground Chicken:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion

For the Breading:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• Avocado oil spray
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Ingredient Notes

• Ground chicken: A standard ground chicken blend works best because it has enough fat to stay juicy. Extra-lean ground chicken breast can dry out more quickly in the high oven heat.
• Parmesan cheese: Use finely grated Parmesan so it distributes evenly throughout the chicken. Coarsely shredded cheese can create larger pockets and make the cutlets harder to press into a smooth layer.
• Dried minced onion: This adds a little more savory onion flavor and texture than onion powder alone. I prefer it to fresh onion here because it doesn’t introduce extra moisture into the meat.
• All-purpose flour: The flour prevents the chicken from sticking to the parchment and gives the egg something to grip. The full cup makes breading easier, but you may not need to use every bit.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Panko creates a lighter and crunchier coating than fine traditional breadcrumbs. As with the flour, complete coverage matters more than using the exact full amount.
• Avocado oil spray: The panko needs a generous coating of oil to brown properly in the oven. A light mist isn’t enough for this recipe. The breadcrumbs should look evenly damp before baking.

How to Make Chicken Cutlets with Ground Chicken

Step 1: Season the Ground Chicken

Add the ground chicken, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, Parmesan, and dried minced onion to a large bowl. Mix gently until the seasonings are evenly distributed. Don’t continue mixing once everything is combined, since overworking ground chicken can make the cooked cutlets feel dense.

Let the mixture rest for a few minutes while you prepare the breading ingredients.

Step 2: Shape the Cutlets

Preheat the oven to 450°F using convection or the oven’s air-fry setting. Lightly spray or brush a large rimmed sheet pan with avocado oil.

Lay a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust it generously with flour. Place half of the chicken mixture in the center. Cover the chicken with another sheet of parchment, then press or roll it into a very thin oval about ¼ inch thick. It should be large enough to cover roughly half of the sheet pan.

Remove the top piece of parchment and lightly dust the exposed chicken with flour. Repeat with the remaining chicken to form a second large cutlet.

Step 3: Bread the First Side

Brush the exposed surface of each cutlet with the whisked egg. Cover the chicken completely with panko breadcrumbs, then press them down gently so they stick.

Spray the panko generously with avocado oil. Continue spraying until there are no visibly dry or powdery patches. 

Step 4: Flip and Bread the Other Side

Place a clean piece of parchment paper over one breaded cutlet. Hold both parchment sheets securely and carefully flip the entire cutlet over. Peel away the parchment from the uncoated side. Brush that side with egg, cover it completely with panko, and press gently.

Spray the breadcrumbs generously with avocado oil. Repeat with the second cutlet. Carefully transfer both breaded cutlets to the prepared sheet pan.

Step 5: Bake and Broil

Bake the ground chicken cutlets for 15 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, until the panko is deeply golden and crisp. Watch closely during this step because the breadcrumbs can darken quickly.

Check the thickest part of each cutlet with an instant-read thermometer. Ground chicken is safely cooked when it reaches 165°F.

Step 6: Rest and Slice

Remove the cutlets from the oven and immediately finish them with flaky sea salt. Let them rest for 1-2 minutes before slicing. Serve them whole or cut them into strips, wedges, or sandwich-sized portions.

My Tips for the Crispiest Ground Chicken Cutlets

• Use flour on the parchment and your hands. Ground chicken is naturally sticky. A generous dusting of flour makes it much easier to press and shape without pulling the meat apart.
• Go thinner than you think. Aim for about ¼ inch thick. A thicker layer takes longer to cook and gives you less crunchy breading in proportion to the chicken.
• Keep the thickness consistent. Pay special attention to the edges, which are easy to leave thicker than the center. Even thickness helps the entire cutlet finish cooking at the same time.
• Patch any small tears. If the chicken splits while you’re flipping or transferring it, gently press the torn area back together. Once breaded and baked, the repair usually isn’t noticeable.
• Fully hydrate the panko. This is the most important step for browning. If any crumbs still look white and dry before baking, spray them again with avocado oil.
• Oil the sheet pan too. The oil underneath helps the bottom crust crisp against the hot metal instead of steaming.
• Use the broiler carefully. Keep the pan close enough to brown the crumbs, but don’t walk away. Panko can go from golden to burnt in less than a minute under intense heat.
• Rely on temperature, not color alone. The crust may look ready before the chicken is fully cooked. Check that the center has reached 165°F before serving.
• Rest briefly, but not too long. One or two minutes lets the juices settle without trapping enough steam to soften the breading.

Easy Ground Chicken Cutlet Variations

• Chicken Parmesan: Bake the cutlets as directed, then top them with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella. Return them to the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
• Chicken Milanese: Serve the sliced cutlets with arugula, shaved Parmesan, fresh lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Spicy Chicken Cutlets: Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to the chicken mixture. Serve with my Bang Bang sauce for dipping to add some spice.
• Gluten-Free Cutlets: Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend and use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
• Ground Turkey Cutlets: Ground turkey can replace the chicken in the same amount. A standard 93% lean blend will generally stay juicier than ultra-lean ground turkey breast.

What to Serve With Ground Chicken Cutlets

These crispy chicken cutlets can be served as a main dish or used as the base for several different meals:

• Salads: Slice them into strips and serve over Caesar salad, an arugula salad, or a chopped Italian salad.
• Sandwiches: Cut the cutlets into squares and add them to brioche buns with lettuce, pickles, cheese, and sauce. They're also great in this chicken cutlet sandwich recipe.
• Pasta: Serve them with spaghetti, marinara sauce, Alfredo pasta, or a simple garlic butter pasta.
• Vegetables: Pair them with roasted broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or a tomato and cucumber salad.
• Potatoes: Serve them with mashed potatoes, fries, roasted potatoes, or potato wedges.
• Dipping sauces: Try marinara, ranch, honey mustard, my boom boom sauce, orange sauce, or homemade General Tso sauce.
• Rice bowls: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and serve it over rice with vegetables and your favorite sauce.

How to Store and Reheat Ground Chicken Cutlets

Let the cooked cutlets cool on a wire rack so steam doesn’t collect underneath and soften the breading.

Store the sliced cutlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Place parchment paper between layers to keep the breading from sticking together. 

For the crispiest reheated texture, warm the cutlets in a 375°F air fryer for 4-5 minutes or a 400°F oven for 8-10 minutes. Avoid the microwave when possible because it softens the panko coating.

To freeze them, let the cutlets cool completely and wrap the portions individually. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat them from frozen in a 400°F oven until hot and crisp.

Ground Chicken Cutlet FAQs

What is a ground chicken cutlet?

A ground chicken cutlet is made by pressing seasoned ground chicken into a thin, flat shape before breading and cooking it. Unlike a chicken patty or burger, this cutlet is only about ¼ inch thick and has a crisp panko coating on both sides.

Can you make chicken cutlets with ground chicken?

Yes. Ground chicken can be pressed into a thin layer, coated with flour, egg, and panko, then baked until crispy. It removes the need to slice and pound whole chicken breasts while still creating the texture and appearance of a breaded chicken cutlet.

Is this the viral giant chicken cutlet?

Yes. This recipe is based on the viral sheet pan ground chicken cutlet method I first saw from Dining With Skylar. Instead of pressing the entire pound into one cutlet, this version divides the chicken into two large cutlets that each fill about half of a sheet pan.

What’s the difference between a chicken cutlet and a chicken patty?

A chicken patty is generally thicker, rounder, and shaped like a burger. This ground chicken cutlet is pressed very thin and coated with flour, egg, and panko, giving it a larger surface area and a crisp breaded crust.

How thin should a ground chicken cutlet be?

Aim for approximately ¼ inch thick. The thinner shape allows the chicken to cook quickly while creating as much crispy panko surface as possible.

How long do ground chicken cutlets take to bake?

These thin ground chicken cutlets bake for approximately 15 minutes at 450°F using convection, followed by 4-5 minutes under the broiler. The exact time can vary with thickness and oven performance, so confirm that the center has reached 165°F.

Do I need a convection oven?

A convection oven gives the panko more even browning because the fan circulates hot air around the cutlets. You can use a standard oven, but the cutlets may need an additional 3-4 minutes before broiling.

Can I make smaller individual chicken cutlets?

Yes. Divide the chicken into smaller portions and press each one approximately ¼ inch thick. Smaller cutlets may cook more quickly, so begin checking their internal temperature before the full baking time has passed.

Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko?

Regular breadcrumbs will work, but the coating will be finer and less crunchy. Panko breadcrumbs have larger, lighter flakes that create a crisper crust in the oven.

Why didn’t my ground chicken cutlets get crispy?

The cutlets may have been too thick, the panko may not have been coated in enough oil, or the sheet pan may not have been greased. Press the chicken thin, spray the breadcrumbs until fully dampened, and finish the cutlets under the broiler.

How do you flip a giant ground chicken cutlet without breaking it?

Place a second sheet of parchment paper over the breaded side. Hold both pieces securely and flip the entire parchment sandwich in one motion. Peel away the top sheet to expose the uncoated side, then finish breading it.

Can I prepare the cutlets ahead of time?

You can mix the ground chicken and seasonings up to 1 day ahead and keep the mixture covered in the refrigerator. For the crispest coating, wait to flour, bread, and bake the cutlets until shortly before serving.

More Viral Chicken Recipes to Try

• Buffalo chicken hot pockets
• Crispy chicken loaded fries
• Crispy chicken Caesar salad
• Buffalo chicken alfredo
• Crispy rice salad with chicken