Juicy, pan-grilled chicken breast cutlets are the ultimate quick, high-protein, weeknight staple—simple, flavorful, and endlessly versatile.
For those beautiful lines, you’ll need a stovetop grill pan that has raised ridges. But you can just use a regular non-stick skillet.
When Pan Grilled Chicken Breast Slices are Great
These cutlets are perfect when you need something fast but satisfying: busy weeknights, meal prep days, or anytime you want a lean, nourishing protein without turning on the oven.
What they pair with
They go with almost everything—fresh salads, rice, quinoa, rustic mashed potatoes, potato halves, or tucked into wraps and sandwiches.
Ingredients
Chicken breast cutlets, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and optional herbs or spices like paprika, oregano, or thyme.
FAQs
- Are they dry? Not if cooked properly—thin cutlets cook quickly and stay juicy.
- Can I season them differently? Absolutely. They take on almost any flavor profile.
- Are they good for meal prep? Yes, they reheat well and stay tender.
Storage
Store cooked cutlets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Let’s chat
How do you like to season your chicken cutlets—classic and simple or bold and spicy? Enjoy!
Pan Grilled Chicken Breasts
Quick Grilled Chicken Breasts.
Burner: large
Heat: high
Non-stick thick grill pan with ridges (to create the lines)
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken breast , sliced into 1/4 inch thickness of slices
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1/4 Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated black pepper (optional)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons oil, canola or cotton or corn (1 tablespoon per slice)
Instructions
Heat up griddle for 10 minutes. While heating up, mix all ingredients together in bowl.
Place/Griddle 2 (large) to 3 (small or medium) cutlets at a time in the spot directly above the heat, for results to be like the featured image.
2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute on the second size, unless the thickness of the cutlets are thinner or thicker.
The initial slices will be lighter in color (see featured recipe-image).
It's not necessary to clear away burnt spice on griddle. They contribute to the dark appearance.
Do not press down.
If you wish to have a cross-cross design, place in one position for 1 minute, then move to another position for another minute. Flip and griddle for 1 more minute.
Notes
Place the cutlets first on the unsliced side of the chicken breasts. There will naturally be only 2 slices like these, as there are 2 breast halves and each has a smooth top. The rest of the slices will have touches a knife so it won't matter on which side they will be placed first.
I either use a cellphone timer or flip them over when the sides of the cutlets and some flesh near that, on top, is whitening/already white. For me a timer is simpler to ensure juiciness.
It's never advisable to over-heat them. They will become overly frim, chewy and have strands.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 161Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 13mgSodium 21mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 5g
Nutrition values are estimated.