Cotoletta di Pollo al Pomodoro (Breaded Chicken with Tomato Sauce)
Thin, crisp-crumbed chicken cutlets spooned with warm tomato sauce and a little melted mozzarella.
Made with Basic tomato sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.89 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to make two thin cutlets. Put them between sheets of baking paper and bash gently with a rolling pin until about 1 cm thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- 2
Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs mixed with the parmesan into three shallow dishes. Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, then the crumb, pressing it on.
- 3
Warm your ready made basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) in a small pan over a low heat until steaming hot.
5 min - 4
Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry half the cutlets for 3 to 4 minutes each side until deep golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper, then repeat with the rest.
8 min - 5
Heat the grill to high. Lay the cutlets on a baking tray, spoon a little tomato sauce over each and top with mozzarella. Grill for 3 minutes until melted.
- 6
Serve with the rest of the sauce spooned around, the basil torn over and a green salad. Check the thickest piece has no pink inside and the juices run clear.
3 min
Tips
- Bash the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks in the time the crumb needs to turn golden, with no dry edges.
- Keep the sauce around the cutlet, not over all of it, so the crumb stays crisp.
- Use gluten free flour and breadcrumbs and the dish suits coeliacs, as long as the parmesan and sauce are fine for you.
Storing and freezing
Eat the day it is made. Cool leftovers within 1 hour and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat in a hot oven until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I bake the cutlets instead of frying?
Yes. Brush the crumbed cutlets with oil and bake at 220C (200C fan) for 15 to 18 minutes, turning once. They are a little less crisp but still good.
Is this the same as chicken parmigiana?
Not quite. A parmigiana is baked under the sauce and cheese, while this cotoletta keeps the crumb crisp with sauce spooned on the side and over the middle.
Can I make it gluten free?
Yes. Swap the flour and breadcrumbs for gluten free versions and check the parmesan label. Fry as normal.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
