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Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta

File this under dinners worth pouring wine for

Everything on the table works together beautifully — crisp, buttery, tangy, and full of flavor.

Hey folks. If you need a dinner that looks impressive, tastes beautifully balanced, and still feels light and satisfying, this is a great one to keep in your back pocket. It is perfect for a busy weeknight, a beginner cook wanting a win, or a relaxed dinner for guests with a bottle of white wine on the table.

The whole plate is flavorful, fresh, and polished, yet the prep is simple and the payoff feels far bigger than the effort. On the menu: Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets, Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sherry Vinaigrette topped with Shaved Manchego.

✨ Why This Chicken Cutlet Dinner Is So Good

  • Crispy baked chicken cutlets bring a golden, crunchy coating and bright lemony flavor without any frying.
  • Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta is buttery and glossy with a hint of fresh lemon and black pepper, and it pairs beautifully with the Parmesan in the chicken cutlets and the Manchego on the Brussels sprouts.
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts are crispy, tangy, and showered with cheese, which makes the whole plate feel lively and complete.
These are the simple ingredients behind one very good dinner: crispy chicken, buttery pasta, and roasted Brussels sprouts.

🍽️ What Makes This Dinner Easy to Pull Off

  • No egg wash or pounding
  • No frying mess
  • Fast-cooking angel hair pasta
  • Simple, familiar ingredients
  • One main and two straightforward sides
  • Big payoff for not much effort

The chicken was inspired by Giovanni Siracusa’s unfussy method. I used chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise instead of pre-cut cutlets, so this version is lightly adapted for home cooks.

I also used homemade breadcrumbs from a crusty boule, which gave the coating a toasty, nutty flavor. Still, store-bought breadcrumbs work perfectly well, so use what you have.

Crispy, buttery, tangy, and beautifully balanced from first bite to last.

👀 What Makes This Dinner So Craveable

  • The chicken bakes up crisp and flavorful with lemon, olive oil, breadcrumbs, and grated cheese.
  • The Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta is buttery, glossy, and lightly touched with fresh lemon and black pepper.
  • The roasted Brussels sprouts are crispy, tangy, and showered with cheese. If you want a little more crunch, chopped Marcona almonds would be lovely here too.

📌A Few Helpful Notes

  • Parmesan or Asiago can step in for Manchego.
  • The chicken cutlets and Brussels sprouts are terrific leftover.
  • The Brussels sprouts also pair well with steak, fish, pork, or roast chicken.
  • The Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta is just as good with shrimp or simple greens.

🍴 Ready to make it?

The recipe cards below let you build the plate however you like, and you can watch the video guide below too. I always appreciate having a video when I cook because it helps me catch extra details and little bits of nuance. If you make this dinner, let me know how it turns out — I’d love to hear what you think.

Robin Ward

Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets

These Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets are juicy on the inside, golden on the outside, and full of bright Italian flavor from olive oil, lemon, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and parsley. Baked instead of fried, they are simple, lighter, and perfect for a quick dinner any night of the week.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. chicken cutlets (If using whole chicken breasts: (1 lb. is usually 2 large breasts, sliced horizontally into 4 thin cutlets.)
  • 2 lemons
  • ⅔ cup breadcrumbs (Optional: add a spoonful of millet for extra crunch)
  • ⅓ cup grated cheese (Parmigiano or Pecorino)
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Equipment

  • large baking sheet

Method
 

  1.  Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2.  If starting with whole chicken breasts, slice each breast horizontally to create thin, even cutlets. In a bowl, toss the cutlets with olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, salt, and pepper.
  3. In a separate tray, mix breadcrumbs, grated cheese, chopped parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.
  4. Press each cutlet into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides well.
  5. Place on a parchment‑lined baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil and a bit of lemon zest.
  6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Broil for the last two minutes if you want extra crunch.
  7. Finish with the remaining lemon juice before serving.

Notes

Helpful Equipment:
Optional: Add 1 grated garlic clove to the marinade if you like. I have done that before and enjoyed it, but I left it out this time since the Brussels sprouts already have a touch of garlic in the vinaigrette and I wanted the lemon in the chicken to lead.
Robin Ward

Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta

This Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta is buttery, glossy, and lightly touched with fresh lemon and black pepper. Made with just a few simple ingredients, it cooks quickly and delivers big flavor, making it an easy side dish for chicken, fish, shrimp, or a simple dinner at home.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 4 oz angel hair pasta
  • 2 cups hot chicken stock
  • 1 to 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 splash lemon juice to taste
  • Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano Reggiano for garnish (optional)

Equipment

  • medium size saucepan or 10-inch skillet

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a medium pot or 10-inch skillet. Break up the pasta into more bite-sized lengths, about 1 to 2 inches each. Toss the pasta in the butter until it is well-coated.
  2. Pour in the hot stock and grind in the pepper. Cover and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Squeeze in the lemon juice (Sue Kreitzman used the juice of 1 small lemon). Taste and, if your stock wasn’t very salty and you’d like more, add a little salt to taste. Serve at once.

Notes

This Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta was inspired by Sue Kreitzman’s recipe on Food52.
Helpful Equipment:
Robin Ward

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sherry Vinaigrette + Manchego

These roasted Brussels sprouts are crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, and full of lively flavor from a tangy sherry vinaigrette and shaved Manchego. Simple to make and hard to stop eating, they are a fresh, flavorful side dish that pairs beautifully with chicken, fish, steak, or holiday meals.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Spanish-inspired
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the sprouts:
  • 1½ lbs. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the vinaigrette:
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1½ Tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
  • 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To finish:
  • 2 oz. Manchego cheese, thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler (about ½ cup)

Equipment

  • sheet pan

Method
 

First, roast the sprouts:
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Put the Brussels sprouts on a sheet pan. Drizzle them with olive oil, then sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together so the sprouts are evenly coated. Spread them out in a single layer. Roast, stirring once or twice, for about 25 minutes, or until the sprouts are tender and browned in spots.
Next, make the vinaigrette:
  1. Add all of the vinaigrette ingredients to a serving bowl. Whisk well until combined, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Finish the dish:
  1. When the Brussels sprouts are done, add them to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss well so they are evenly coated. Top with the Manchego cheese and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

This Brussels sprouts side was inspired by the kind of smart, flavor-forward cooking I love in Samin Nosrat’s Good Things and Julia Turshen’s What Goes With What

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🍽️More Dinners Worth Making

James T. smells chicken, butter, and cheese, and agrees this is a very good dinner.

If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube, X, and Instagram! You can follow James T. on his page here and on Instagram, @WarpSpeedWags . Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you . And if you made this recipe, how did it go for you?

6 responses to “Crispy Baked Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Butter Angel Hair Pasta”

  1. I love the look of this recipe! Chicken can be prepared in so many interesting ways to bring out the maximum flavor and this is a terrific way to do so!

    Reply

    • Thanks, John. I made a double batch of those sprouts yesterday and there’s a little left. They may end up taking home the award over the chicken in my book!

      Reply

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