Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Peach, Tomato & Basil Salad
Golden, crispy chicken cutlets topped with a fresh peach, tomato, and basil salad. Finished with balsamic glaze and served with crusty bread, it's the simple summer dinner you'll make on repeat.
Peach season has always been my favorite.
Growing up in the South, summer felt like peaches and watermelon. We’d eat both all season long, juice dripping down our arms as we ran around the backyard, and my mom made homemade peach cobbler over and over again while peaches were in season. To this day, nothing beats a perfectly ripe Georgia peach.
The peaches in Italy are really good too, and every summer I find myself bringing home more than I planned. This recipe has become one of my favorite ways to use them.
Instead of dessert, the peaches become part of a fresh salad with ripe cherry tomatoes and basil. It’s everything I love about this time of year in one bowl. Sweet peaches, juicy tomatoes, fragrant basil. These are the ingredients I wait all year for.
Crispy chicken cutlets are always a good idea, but they’re especially good here. The warm, golden crust is the perfect contrast to the cool, juicy salad. A drizzle of balsamic glaze ties everything together, and don’t skip the flaky sea salt at the end. Those little pops of salt make every bite even better.
Serve it with a loaf of fresh sourdough for soaking up every last drop of the peach and tomato juices and a chilled glass of sparkling rosé. This is one of my favorite ways to celebrate summer.
Crispy, golden chicken paired with the freshest flavors of summer.
Ready in about 30 minutes.
Family-friendly. Serve the salad on the side so everyone can build their own plate.
A beautiful way to make the most of peach season.
Perfect for entertaining since the chicken can rest on a wire rack while you finish the salad.
Here’s how I make it.
Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Peach, Tomato & Basil Salad
Golden, crispy chicken cutlets topped with a fresh peach, tomato, and basil salad. Finished with balsamic glaze and served with crusty bread, it’s the simple summer dinner you’ll make on repeat.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
For the Chicken
1.5 lb (680 g) very thinly sliced chicken breasts
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper (about 6 turns)
2 large eggs
½–¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
For the Peach, Tomato & Basil Salad
3 ripe peaches, chopped
2 cups (250 g) cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp fine sea salt
For Serving
Balsamic glaze
Flaky sea salt
Crusty Italian bread
DIRECTIONS:
Before you begin cooking, combine the peaches, cherry tomatoes, and basil in a large serving bowl. Set aside without adding the olive oil or salt.
Set up a simple breading station. Beat the eggs in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper.
Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, letting the excess drip off, then coat well in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the breadcrumbs adhere.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add about ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. The oil should come about ¼ inch (6 mm) up the sides of the pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches so the pan isn’t crowded.
Cook the first side a little longer so it develops a deep golden crust. Once the chicken is more than halfway cooked through, flip and continue cooking until the second side is deeply golden and crisp.
Transfer the cooked cutlets to a wire rack to keep them crisp while you cook the remaining batches.
As you cook, adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady medium-high temperature. Each time you add a new batch of cold chicken, increase the heat slightly, then lower it once the pan returns to temperature. Add another 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil whenever the level gets low so the chicken continues to shallow fry. If dark breadcrumb bits begin to accumulate, carefully wipe out the pan, add fresh oil, and continue.
Once all of the chicken is cooked, drizzle the peach mixture with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and toss gently to combine.
Arrange the chicken cutlets on a serving platter and transfer the salad to a separate serving bowl. Serve family-style with crusty Italian bread.
For each serving, top a chicken cutlet with a generous spoonful of the peach salad, then drizzle with balsamic glaze and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving.
The peaches should be ripe but still slightly firm so they hold their shape.
A wire rack keeps the chicken much crispier than paper towels or a plate.
Keeping the salad separate until serving ensures the chicken stays perfectly crisp.
Cook time will vary depending on the size of your skillet. If you can fry four cutlets at a time, dinner will be on the table much faster than if you need to cook two at a time in multiple batches.
If you’re comfortable multitasking, bread the next batch while the current one fries. It’s a little more fast-paced, but it’s the quickest way to get dinner on the table.
Sparkling rosé is my favorite pairing here. The crisp bubbles are refreshing with the crunchy chicken, while the bright fruit notes complement the sweet peaches without overpowering them. If you prefer still wine, a dry rosé or a crisp Pinot Grigio would also be delicious.
Enjoy!
🤍 Kit