Cooking chicken breasts doesn’t get easier than my thin cut chicken breast recipe! Since it comes together quickly, the juicy chicken is ideal for weeknight dinners when you’re short on time. Pair it with your favorite side dishes for easy meal prep, or finish it with homemade sauces like honey mustard, raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce, and Carolina gold BBQ sauce.
Why Cook Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts?
- Sliced chicken breasts are versatile and cook quickly, perfect for weeknight meals, lunches, and meal prep.
- Use the chicken in a variety of dishes such as salads, wraps, pasta, soups, and sandwiches.
- The thinness of the chicken breast allows them to cook evenly without drying out.
- The easy chicken recipe is great for beginners; pan-sear the chicken or cook it in the oven, air fryer, or grill.
- Chicken breast is a lean, protein-packed entree to fuel a well-balanced diet.
- Why Cook Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Additions and Substitutions
- How to Slice Chicken Breasts
- How to Make Thin Cut Chicken Breast
- How Long to Bake Chicken Breast?
- Expert Tips
- Favorite Recipes for Thin Cut Chicken Breast
- What to do with the Leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Thin Cut Chicken Breast
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken: You will need one pound of chicken breasts cut to a similar size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- Oil: Coat the chicken with extra-virgin olive oil to help the spices adhere and to prevent the chicken from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Spices: Season the thin cut chicken breast with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and black pepper.
Additions and Substitutions
I season the chicken breast with homemade chicken seasoning using simple pantry spices. The flavor makes the chicken versatile for any meal, but I like to change things up with my favorite seasonings, depending on what I’m cooking. Here are a few spice blends I love:
- Slap Ya Mama Seasoning Recipe
- Italian Seasoning
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- Blackened Seasoning
- Taco Seasoning
- Rib Rub
- Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
How to Slice Chicken Breasts
You can find pre-cut chicken cutlets in the grocery store. However, I find it is cheaper to cut the chicken breasts yourself, and it takes just a few minutes.
- Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast on a cutting board.
- Hold a sharp knife in one hand and place your other hand on the top of the meat to secure it. Slice through the chicken breast lengthwise. Start at the thick part of the chicken and work your way to the thinner side – resulting in two thin cutlets.
- If you prefer smaller pieces, cut the chicken breast in half, setting the thin part aside. Then, slice through the thicker part of the chicken breast lengthwise, giving you three cutlets per chicken breast.
How to Make Thin Cut Chicken Breast
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Try one of these cooking methods to prepare thin-cut chicken breasts. If you enjoy crispy coated chicken, make it on the stovetop or air fryer. Cook the chicken on a baking sheet with vegetables if you need a quick sheet pan meal in a pinch. And if you love grilling in the summertime (like me), follow my directions for smoky, thin chicken breast.
1. Pan-Fry
Warm a skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken breast pieces in the pan in a single layer, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side.
2. Air Fry
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Line the chicken breasts into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 6-7 minutes, flipping the chicken pieces halfway through.
Tip: You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
3. Grill
Preheat the grill by setting all the burners to high heat for 10 minutes. Then, use a wooden grill scraper to clean the grates. Reduce the heat to 400°F (204°C) and arrange the chicken onto the grates. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side.
4. Bake
Start by preheating the oven to 425°F (218℃). Meanwhile, prepare the chicken breasts and toss them with the olive oil and spices. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack and arrange the chicken cutlets in a single layer onto it.
Bake for 15-25 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165℉ (74℃). I recommend broiling the chicken breast for 3-4 minutes if you like a crispy coating. Here are some step-by-step photos to walk you through the process.
Prepare the Chicken: Begin by slicing the chicken breasts in half. Then, place a chicken cutlet into a plastic bag or between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap.
Use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to pound it into an even thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218℃). Mix the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and transfer them to the mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
Step 3: Arrange the chicken onto a wire rack set into a rimmed baking sheet. Cook for 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, or until the chicken reaches 165℉ (74℃).
Tip: See chart for recommended cooking times.
Step 4: Broil the chicken for 3-4 minutes if you prefer a crispy coating.
Step 5: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to serve.
How Long to Bake Chicken Breast?
Cooking times will vary based on the thickness of the chicken breasts. Here are my suggestions for how long to cook chicken in the oven at 425°F (218°C):
| Size | Weight Range | Cooking Time |
| Small Chicken Breast | 5-6 Ounces | 14-16 Minutes |
| Medium Chicken Breast | 7-8 Ounces | 18-20 Minutes |
| Large Chicken Breast | 9-11 Ounces | 21-25 Minutes |
The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast. The USDA recommends cooking chicken at 165°F (74°C).
Expert Tips
- Use thin chicken breasts of a similar size or pound them evenly using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking for the best results; this allows for even cooking and juicy chicken breasts.
- After cooking, allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes to ensure the juices spread evenly throughout the meat.
- The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to insert a meat thermometer into the chicken; the safe internal temperature is 165°F (74 °C).
If you enjoy this easy chicken recipe, try one of these mouthwatering recipes!
Favorite Recipes for Thin Cut Chicken Breast
The thinly sliced chicken breast with simple seasoning is perfect for chicken alfredo, stir fry, chicken sandwiches, fajitas, and wraps. Pair the chicken with warm corn tortillas and pineapple corn salad or avocado lime crema to make a quick chicken taco recipe.
One of my favorite ways to use the juicy chicken pieces is as a topping for salad recipes like Caesar salad, fall kale salad, or my Savannah chopped salad copycat.
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Once the chicken cools, I recommend slicing or shredding it to make it easier to use once defrosted. Transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe container or bag for storage. Thin cut chicken breast freezes for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
- Repurpose: The chicken is an excellent freezer meal and perfect for meal prep because you can use it for salad, soup, pizza, sandwich, and wrap recipes. Plus, the chicken pieces are the easiest way to make chicken schnitzel, chicken parmesan, and chicken piccata.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is thin-cut chicken breast called?
You will see thin cut chicken breasts marketed as chicken cutlets or chicken breast filets in grocery stores.
More Easy Dinner Recipes:
Thin Cut Chicken Breast
- Parment Paper or Plastic Wrap
- 1 pound thin-cut chicken breasts, 2 chicken breasts cut in half horizontally
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Begin by slicing the chicken breasts in half. Then, place a chicken cutlet into a plastic bag or between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to pound it into an even thickness. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218℃). Mix the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and transfer them to the mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
- Arrange the chicken onto a wire rack set into a rimmed baking sheet. Cook for 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, or until the chicken reaches 165℉ (74℃).Tip: See chart for recommended cooking times.
- Broil the chicken for 3-4 minutes if you prefer a crispy coating.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to serve.
- Use thin chicken breasts of a similar size or pound them evenly using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
- Let the chicken come to room temperature before cooking for the best results; this allows for even cooking and juicy chicken breasts.
- After cooking, allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes to ensure the juices spread evenly throughout the meat.
- The best way to know when the chicken finishes cooking is to insert a food thermometer into the chicken; the safe internal temperature is 165°F (74 °C).
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.