Baked Parmesan Turkey Cutlets

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 09/13/20
Baked Parmesan Turkey Cutlets

The Spruce
Prep: 14 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 39 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
504 Calories
20g Fat
42g Carbs
38g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 504
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 310mg 103%
Sodium 1762mg 77%
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Protein 38g
Calcium 312mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Turkey cutlets (also known as paillards) are pounded or thinly sliced cuts of turkey breast. The fact that the thin pieces of meat cook quickly is one of the biggest advantages. Plus, turkey breast is lean, and it's an excellent alternative to veal, pork, or chicken cutlets. 

These baked turkey cutlets are lean and flavorful with a simple Parmesan cheese and breadcrumb coating. A small amount of spicy mustard in the egg coating adds extra flavor to the turkey cutlets. 

The simple breaded cutlets make a tasty dish with baked potatoes and a side vegetable, or slice them and serve on a Caesar salad. Or arrange the cooked cutlets in a baking dish with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese and bake just until the cheese has melted. A lemon sauce would be excellent on the cutlets as well.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound turkey breast cutlets
  • Kosher salt 
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup soft breadcrumbs
  • 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (coarsely chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil
  • 1 tablespoon Creole mustard (or a spicy brown mustard)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Garnish: fresh parsley (chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 375 F.

    Ingredients for baked Parmesan turkey cutlets
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  2. Grease a jelly-roll pan or a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan.

    Baking pan, herbs, salt and Parmesan cheese
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  3. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin, gently pound cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap to thin slightly.

    Flattened turkey cutlets
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  4. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the cutlets with salt and pepper.

  5. Put the flour in a wide, shallow bowl and set aside.

    Flour on dish for dredging
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  6. In a food processor or chopper, pulse the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and basil together until the crumbs are fine. Pour the breadcrumb mixture into a pie plate or shallow bowl.

    Breadcrumbs in bowl for dredging
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  7. In another bowl, whisk together the mustard and eggs.

    Beaten eggs for breading
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  8. Dip cutlets in the flour to coat, followed by the egg mixture. Then, coat them with the breadcrumb mixture.

    Battered turkey cutlets
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  9. Place the breaded cutlets in the prepared baking dish.

    Cutlets arranged in baking pan
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  10. Bake the cutlets for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness, or until turkey is no longer pink inside. The minimum safe temperature for poultry is 165 F. If in doubt, check them with an instant-read thermometer.

    Close-up of browned cutlets in baking pan
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Tip

  • The turkey cutlets can be breaded, frozen, and baked on another day. Just bread the cutlets and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or waxed paper. Place the baking sheet in the freezer. When the breaded cutlets are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag or place them in a container, separated by sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper. To bake the cutlets, heat the oven to 375 F. Arrange the frozen breaded cutlets on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they're cooked through.

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