Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets

The secret is in the brine! These air fryer chicken cutlets turn out flavorful and juicy!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Marinating Time 6

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 255kcal

Author Amee

For the brine: *If you're not a pickle fan, you can use a simple salt water brine, that I use in my air fryer parmesan chicken recipe as an alternative.
1/2 cup pickle juice -go with a good quality fresh pickle juice like Grillo's or Claussen in the refrigerator section for the best flavor (jarred (shelf stable) pickle brine will be too salty)
1 tbsp ranch dressing mix
2 tsp sugar *optional
For the cutlets:
1 lb thin sliced chicken cutlets *make sure the cutlets are an even thickness (about ¼")
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs *can use gluten-free panko- or go with regular bread crumbs here instead of the panko blend (see notes below)
1/2 cup regular bread crumbs *can use gluten-free
1 lg egg
1/4 cup liquid egg whites in the carton
1 tbsp all-purpose flour *can use gluten-free all-purpose flour or Kentucky Kernel gluten-free seasoned flour (it's so good here!)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
avocado oil spray or olive oil spray
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together in a bowl: pickle juice, ranch dressing mix, and sugar (if using) then pour the mixture into a sealable bag, add the chicken cutlets and brine for 2-6 hours. *You can also use a simple salt water brine as an alternative (linked in the ingredients above.)
Stir the two types of breadcrumbs together in a shallow bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg whites, flour, and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper, if desired.
Dip each chicken cutlet in the egg mixture, allowing the excess to drip off and then dip into the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure both sides are well coated.
Spray the bottom of the air fryer or the air fryer rack with cooking oil spray.
Place the cutlets onto the greased air fryer rack or air fryer basket, making sure not to overlap (work in batches if needed), and spray the top generously with avocado oil spray to lightly coat all of the breading.
Air fry at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Flip each cutlet over after 4-5 minutes, spray with more cooking spray, and continue cooking until the crust is crisp and golden and the chicken is cooked through (the internal temperature is at least 160 degrees). An average cutlet will be done around the 8-minute mark, but this can vary depending on the size of your cutlets and your air fryer. Check for doneness at the 8-minute mark with a meat thermometer so they don't overcook.
Chicken should register 160 degrees F with a meat thermometer when done.

You can use all regular bread crumbs instead of the panko blend for a finer breading consistency
I do not recommend brining these overnight, 2 hours to a max of 6 hours is the sweet spot here.
Do not overlap the breaded chicken cutlet pieces in the air fryer. In order for the breading to crisp up evenly on all sides, it needs to be exposed to the circulating heat.
That said, you'll probably need to work in batches depending on how many cutlets you're making. This chicken will cook up fast in the air fryer so you'll be able to work through cooking each batch quickly.
Keep finished cutlets warm while you cook the rest by setting them on a cooling rack in a 170 degree to 200-degree oven while you finish cooking the rest of the chicken.
The many brands of air fryers all cook a little differently, so keep that in mind when adjusting the time and temperature. Use this recipe as a recommendation and adapt accordingly with your air fryer settings.