Blackstone Italian Chicken Cutlet Sandwich

This is a different chicken cutlet build than the chicken Caesar smash tacos on this site. Those are bare-seared cutlets pressed onto a tortilla. This one is breaded, shallow-fried in a pool of oil right on the steel, and built into a full Italian sub: marinara, melted mozzarella, and a toasted hoagie roll. Same starting cut, completely different sandwich.

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Ingredients

Chicken Cutlets:

• 4 chicken breast cutlets (5-6 oz each), pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/3 cup avocado oil, for shallow frying

Sandwich:

• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 4 hoagie rolls, split
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh basil leaves (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1: Pound the cutlets If your chicken isn’t already cut thin, slice each breast horizontally into two cutlets and pound to an even 1/4 inch with a meat mallet. Even thickness matters more than thinness alone, a thick spot cooks slower than the rest and throws off the whole cutlet.

Step 2: Set up the breading station Set out three shallow dishes: flour seasoned with salt and pepper, the beaten eggs, and the panko mixed with parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shake off the excess, dip in egg, then press into the panko mixture until fully coated.

Step 3: Make the garlic butter Combine the softened butter and minced garlic. Set aside for the rolls.

Step 4: Preheat and shallow-fry Preheat the Blackstone to medium (375°F). Pour the avocado oil onto one zone to form a shallow pool, about 1/8 inch deep. Once shimmering, add the cutlets and fry 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use tongs to flip, the breading is fragile until it sets.

Step 5: Sauce and cheese Move the cutlets to a cooler zone. Top each with marinara sauce and a layer of mozzarella. Cover with a basting dome for 2-3 minutes until the cheese fully melts.

Step 6: Toast the rolls While the cheese melts, spread the garlic butter on the cut sides of the hoagie rolls and toast them cut-side down on an open zone until golden, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 7: Build Place a cheese-topped cutlet on each toasted roll. Add basil if using, and serve immediately while the cheese is still pulling.

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Tips

Don’t skip the pound. An uneven cutlet is the single biggest reason breaded chicken comes out dry in spots and raw in others. Aim for a consistent 1/4 inch across the whole piece.

Let the breading set before flipping. The panko crust needs a minute of contact with the hot oil to firm up. Flip too early and it tears away from the chicken instead of staying attached.

Keep the oil pool shallow, not deep. An 1/8-inch pool is enough to shallow-fry the breading golden without turning this into a deep-fry. Too much oil just makes cleanup harder without improving the crust.

Use a thermometer on the thickest cutlet. Breading browns before the chicken necessarily hits temperature. Check 165°F with an instant-read thermometer rather than judging by crust color alone.

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What to Serve With It

Blackstone french fries or a simple side salad round this out as a full Italian sub shop meal, and the fries can crisp on a second zone while the cutlets fry.

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Storage

Refrigerate leftover cutlets (unassembled) in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven or back on the griddle to re-crisp the breading, a microwave will make it soggy. Assemble the sandwich fresh after reheating.

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More flat-top recipes: Blackstone Griddle Sandwiches · Chicken Caesar Smash Tacos · Blackstone Chicken Recipes

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Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between this and the chicken Caesar smash tacos?

The cutlets start the same way, thin and pounded, but the technique and finished dish are completely different. Caesar smash tacos are bare-seared and pressed directly onto a tortilla with Caesar dressing. This sandwich breads the cutlet, shallow-fries it for a crisp crust, and builds it into an Italian sub with marinara and melted mozzarella.

Can you shallow-fry breaded chicken directly on a Blackstone griddle?

Yes. Pour enough oil onto one zone to form a shallow pool, about 1/8 inch deep, and fry the cutlets in it the same way you would in a skillet. The flat, wide surface actually makes it easier to fry multiple cutlets at once than a standard pan does.

What temperature should chicken cutlets be cooked to?

165°F internal, the USDA safe minimum for poultry. Check with an instant-read thermometer on the thickest cutlet, since the breading can look fully golden before the chicken underneath has actually reached temperature.

Can you make chicken cutlet sandwiches ahead of time?

The cutlets can be breaded and refrigerated up to a few hours ahead of frying, which saves time at serving. Once fried, they’re best eaten fresh or reheated in the oven or back on the griddle, a soggy microwave reheat undoes the crisp breading that makes this sandwich worth making.