Cut the tenderloin off each chicken breast and then slice the breast into thin, no thicker than 1cm slices. The thinner they are, the more you’ll get out of each breast. There’s no rule here, make them as long as you like – I find it depends on the shape of the breast and mine are always different shapes. Just make sure the thickness is consistent.
Pound the slices with a meat mallet to flatten nice and thin. Set aside.
Put the flour into a bowl. In another bowl crack the eggs, add the water and whisk well to combine. In a third bowl ( and I like to use a wide shallow one here as it’s easiest to fit the slices in and pat the crumbs evenly) add the breadcrumbs, cheese, oregano, parsley and salt and toss to combine. (Tip – increase the quantities of the breadcrumb mixture and freeze what you don’t need for next time as mentioned above)
One at a time, dredge the chicken pieces into the flour, shaking off the excess, then into the egg wash, then finally into the crumb mixture. Toss to coat completely.
The cutlets can now be layered in single layers, trying not to overlap, in-between grease-proof paper in a sealed container and frozen for up to three months (my mother would say longer, but let’s be on the safe side!). When you want to cook them, they should be easy enough to pull out frozen (that’s why it’s important to freeze in single layers), allow to defrost in the fridge, or use a microwave. Then proceed to cook as follows.
Pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large fry-pan so that it reaches around 1cm up the sides. You don’t want to submerge the pieces in oil like deep-frying, Just enough to cook each side – the tops should not be covered in oil as you do. Turn on the heat to medium-high and give the oil a little time to heat up.
Cook the cutlets in batches until golden on both sides, turning every now and then. Keep an eye on the heat, the cutlets should have a gentle rolling bubble around them, but not aggressive frying, otherwise the crumb will burn before the chicken inside has cooked. Adjust heat accordingly.
Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
