I need a tool or advice on how to easily slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets.

[unsinkable]

Regular chicken breasts are $2/lb but cutlets (the super thin pieces that cook quickly and are so easy for me to work with!) are $5/lb.

 

I try to make my own but they are tough to get even they way the "boughten" ones are. Plus it is a slippery task.

 

Any tools that I don't know about? Advice?

 

Or is it just practice makes perfect?

[1Togo]

Pound between pieces of plastic wrap for even thickness, which makes it easier to slice. Depending on what I am doing with it, I sometimes cook the pounded chicken and slice afterwards.

[Amira]

Slightly frozen chicken is easier to slice, but usually I just use kitchen shears.

[unsinkable]

Slightly frozen chicken is easier to slice, but usually I just use kitchen shears.

I can't picture using shears to do this.

 

Now, I keep the breast flat on a cutting board and use a chef's knife held parallel to the cutting board.

[unsinkable]

Pound between pieces of plastic wrap for even thickness, which makes it easier to slice. Depending on what I am doing with it, I sometimes cook the pounded chicken and slice afterwards.

Wouldn't it be harder for me to make cutlets if the breast is thinner?

 

I'm sorry to be so dense.

[Ottakee]

I can slice mine quite thin if they are partially frozen.

[meena]

It's definitely easier with partially frozen chicken. Just put them in the freezer for 15 minutes before cutting. It also helps to have a good quality, sharp knife. With my good knife I can slice an average breast into at least three cutlets. I always cut first and then pound them after. Start pounding in the middle and work your way outward. You can trim them after pounding to even out the shape if you want but I never do. My cutlets don't usually end up quite as thin as store bought ones, but I think if I was patient enough to keep pounding I could do it.

[Amira]

I can't picture using shears to do this.

 

Now, I keep the breast flat on a cutting board and use a chef's knife held parallel to the cutting board.

I'm just always determined to use kitchen shears when I'm dealing with chicken. :)

[KungFuPanda]

I cut them in half so that they're half as thick, then I pound them until they're as thin as I want. After they're pounded, they're usually big enough to cut in half again so one chicken breast will give me about 4 cutlets. The pounding lets you thin out the thicker areas and leave the thin spots alone, so you get nice, even cutlets.

[kewb]

Slightly frozen and sharp filet knife. 

[1Togo]

The pounding makes the chicken breast cutlet thinness.  Cut into as many pieces as you want.  I buy chicken breasts at Fresh Market - two breasts attached at the center.  I buy several of these at a time.  I lay them on plastic wrap, pound them, cut them into the number of pieces I want; i.e. 4 for 2 breasts.  Then, I put the 4 pieces into a square Ziplock container and freeze.  Fifteen minutes to prep 3 or 4 containers.  No chilling required.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Slightly frozen chicken is easier to slice, but usually I just use kitchen shears.

 

This is my trick as well. I use it for cubing chicken and slicing thin strips too. Makes it much easier to handle.

[Annie G]

I can't picture using shears to do this.

 

Now, I keep the breast flat on a cutting board and use a chef's knife held parallel to the cutting board.

 

 

That's what I do- and then use a meat pounder to pound them thin, at which point I usually cut each one in half.  I cover them with saran wrap when I pound them- keeps chicken parts from flying all over. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Grip-EZ-Pounder/dp/B00004UE7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393438807&sr=8-1&keywords=meat+pounder

 

That's the style of meat pounder I have. 

[unsinkable]

That's what I do- and then use a meat pounder to pound them thin, at which point I usually cut each one in half. I cover them with saran wrap when I pound them- keeps chicken parts from flying all over.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Stainless-Steel-Grip-EZ-Pounder/dp/B00004UE7C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393438807&sr=8-1&keywords=meat+pounder

 

That's the style of meat pounder I have.

I just wish there was something like a bagel slicer, but for chicken breasts.

 

Or something like a cheese slicer, the wire kind, and a way to hold down the chicken and run the wire through it.

[Annie G]

I just wish there was something like a bagel slicer, but for chicken breasts.

 

Or something like a cheese slicer, the wire kind, and a way to hold down the chicken and run the wire through it.

 

So do I!  But I admit- sometimes I cut the breasts to make them thinner but skip the step of pounding them thin- and my family notices that they're not nearly as tender.  So I rarely skip that step now- if I'm going to that much trouble to make dinner, I may as well do it right.

 

I make lots of things with these pounded breasts so I usually get a big package of breasts and pound them and individually wrap them. There are some paper thin bags made for this- Ziploc perfect portions. I put one in each bag and then put a bunch of these into a large ziploc freezer bag. Keeps me from having to do this every time I want to make chicken breasts. 

[Tammi K]

A really good knife makes it a breeze.

 

My daughter bought us a nice set of knives for Christmas last year to replace the one we got for a wedding gift almost 30 years ago. I was AMAZED at how much easier everything is to cut. You can get so used to a bad knife that a good one seems almost magical.

[Shamzanne]

This lady makes it look really easy.

 

[OH_Homeschooler]

I use kitchen shears. Usually I find breasts to be very thick so I start by cutting them in half. Then I use shears to cut along a side of the (half) breast, until there's maybe an inch intact along the other side. Then i just pull it open along the intact side--I butterfly it, keeping it in one piece. Maybe this isn't the prettiest method but it creates a thinner cut to work with.