Crispy, oven-fried chicken cutlets are served up on a toasted bun alongside a refreshing cilantro and fig gremolata for the ultimate afternoon sandwich!
Few things in life are said to make “everything” better. In fact, I can think of only three – bacon, butter, and fried chicken. Today, we’re focusing on that last one.
In my previous post, I wrote about wanting to return to some ‘serious’ bites after a weeks’ long stint of home-style comfort, and today we’re continuing that theme of more ‘serious’ fare…sort of. Imagine you’ve invited some friends over for a relaxed Friday evening, or to watch a game, or really anything less formal than a dinner party that involves food. Now, imagine that you want something to match the mood, something, something relaxed, something easy, but you still want to add on a ‘touch of gourmet,’ you want to both indulge your desire for a relaxed evening with your refined palate.
Naturally, that’s where today’s recipe comes in – Oven Fried Chicken Sandwiches with a Cilantro and Fig Gremolata and grilled onions. This is the perfect combination of fun and simplicity, with a dash of ‘gourmet’ thrown in for good measure.
To start things off, we set up our kitchen space with a shallow bowl of breadcrumbs, one with an egg wash (read: briskly whisked eggs in a bowl), and a final bowl with flour. Once that’s set up, we dredge chicken thighs, de-skinned and de-boned, through the flour first, then the egg wash, and then the breadcrumbs.
We then set the prepared thighs on a baking sheet, drizzle each with a bit of olive oil, and bake for about forty-five minutes. You want that classic fried chicken golden hue. You know the chicken is fully cooked once the juices run clear.
Now, for the grilled onions. Begin by heating a large cast iron frying pan with olive oil, and add in a sliced sweet onion, and toss that to coat it with the olive oil. You want the onions to char slightly. Once that’s been achieved, add in sugar, salt, and toss again. Then add in a dash of balsamic vinegar, and toss a second time. Once the onions are soft, they are done.
Finally, we come to the gremolata. Honestly, this part really couldn’t much easier. All you need to do is combine the ingredients listed below in the recipe card in a food processor, and give it a few pulses until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
With all three components of the sandwich prepared, it is time to assemble the sandwich.
I really doubt I need to walk you through this, but here we go. First, take a bun, toasted or untoasted, and…slice it in half. I know, this is some complex, groundbreaking stuff going on right now here at Living the Gourmet, but bear with me. Then place a fried chicken thigh on the bun, you’re going to want to watch your technique during this phase of the assembly, as you want the fried chicken thigh positioned optimally so as to maximize your sandwich enjoyment. The final steps of this sandwich assembly are somewhat controversial. Some suggest placing the onions next, others the gremolata. I have tried both ways, and I can confirm that the ‘optimal’ method of preparation is gremolata first.
Finally, place the top of your bun on the sandwich, and you are done.
Print
Italian Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches with Gremolata
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 ½ cups of flour
- 2 eggs plus a splash of milk – whisked
- 1 ½ cups of Italian style breadcrumbs
- Olive oil for drizzling
For the Gremolata:
- ¾ cup of fresh cilantro
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 6 dried figs with the little stem removed
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tbs. honey
- 3 tbs. olive oil
For the Grilled Onion:
- 1 large sweet onion – sliced thin
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 1 tsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Preheat Oven 350 degrees:
- Dredge the chicken first in the flour then the egg wash and finally in the breadcrumbs.
- Place on a baking sheet and drizzle each thigh with olive oil.
- Bake for 40 – 45 minutes for a nice golden outside. The juices must run clear for the chicken to be done.
For the Gremolata & Grilled Onions:
- Combine all of the ingredients for the gremolata in a food processor and process to desired consistency. Taste to adjust any seasonings.
- For the grilled onions, heat a large cast iron frying pan with the olive oil.
- Add the sliced onion and toss to coat with the olive oil. Let the onion begin to char. Add the sugar, salt, brown sugar and toss. Finally, add the balsamic vinegar and again toss.
- Allow the onion to become nice and softened.
To Build Your Sandwich:
- Your choice of bun – toasted
- Place the chicken on one side of the bun.
- Place the gremolata on the chicken, top with the onions and close with the other side of the bun.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-6
Enjoy with Love!
angiesrecipes says
Crisp chicken cutlet and gremolata…such a great combo and the sandwich looks just beyond delicious!
Catherine says
Thank you Angie,
DAVID J MYERS says
Catherine, What’s not to like! A good chicken fried sandwich with great toppings is hard to beat… Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Nicole Garaham says
Hi, Very Good Article. I really appreciate it. Well researched article. Now you got one regular visitor to your website for new topics. Keep up the Good Work Thanks for always sharing. Nicole Graham
Catherine says
Thank you for visiting.
Analida Braeger says
This sandwich looks beyond delicious and a perfect thing to serve for a dinner party. Wow. Thanks for the inspiration.
Dominique | Perchance to Cook says
Oh my god, these sandwiches look UNREAL. I was having a craving for breaded chicken yesterday and now I HAVE to have this sandwich. It looks so good!
Lauren says
Help me I am drooling everywhere! During my last pregnancy I craved crispy chicken sandwiches my whole first trimester. I don’t think I’ll ever not love them. This oven baked option is a little more forgiving. I can wait to try the gremolata on top!
Anne Lawton says
These look so good and easy to make too. I love that they are not fried either, thanks for sharing!
Kiki Johnson says
I love burgers but I am not a fan of regular chicken burger patties as they tend to be super dry! This sandwich is right down my alley! The gremolata adds some zing and surely takes these sandwiches to the next level!
Des says
This sounds like a great lunch or dinner idea. It would be perfect for the whole family to enjoy any night or day of the week.
Jacque Hastert says
I could eat that gremolata out of the jar! I can’t wait to make these for dinner tonight.
Sharon says
This Italian chicken sandwich looks fantastic! I love the addition of the Gremolata to it.
Krista Price says
😍😍😍 I can hear the crunch of these cutlets from the photos. Holy moly. These sandwiches look incredible! Love how simple the breading is!
Amanda Mason says
This is guaranteed to spice up my lunch! I’m loving this sandwich idea! I eat the same things over and over!
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
I love a good chicken sandwich and these look absolutely divine! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Stacie says
Booyah! Everything about this is utterly fantastic! I especially love the sauteed onions on this. Om nom nom.
Melissa M Sanchez says
I am so trying this out for dinner tonight on some gluten free buns or just lettuce wraps. The gremolata sounds amazing. I have never had it, but I have all the ingredients in my fridge, totally going to give it a try. Ill let ya know how it goes.
Rachel says
This sounds right up my street! Will defo have to give this an idea for our next date night!
Lisa says
This looks incredible! I’ve never tried gremolata but would love to try this out at home. Great recipe.
Chad says
omg this italian sandwich look sooo delicious. I can’t wait to make it, thanks a lot.
Jasmine M says
I’ve never had Gremolata before. It sounds like it’d be delicious. I’ll have to make these chicken cutlet sandwiches with Gremolata one day soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Erin says
This looks absolutely incredible. My mouth is watering!
kumamonjeng says
This would make a great lunch or snacks for a picnic. We have a picnic this coming weekend so I guess this would be a good recipe and snacks to bring out.
Yeah Lifestyle says
Now these look like my kind of sandwich! What a delicious lunch option, I’m definitely considering making this for my lunch this weekend!
Sonal says
I am surprise to see such a crisp chicken in the oven. Definitely a must try.
John Mulindi says
Wow, this looks so nice and delicious! I can’t wait to prepare this!
Heather says
My husband would love this sandwich! I should surprise him and make it one day.
Jacque Hooper says
I prefer chicken thighs over chicken breasts; it’s a great cut of meat! This looks delicious!
Beth Pierce says
This looks so delicious; I personally prefer a toasted bun, but this is so delicious that I could go either way!
Sue-Tanya Mchorgh says
Oh my goodness. This looks so tasty. I would love to try this recipe.
Alexandra Cook says
My kids would absolutely love these. This would disappear in no time at our house! This is my kind of weekend [email protected]
Catherine Santiago Jose says
Anything with chicken is really good for my family and this recipe of yours will really put a good smile on their face. It look so delicious and easy to make.
Tracy says
I am craving for burger and sandwiches now! I think I haven’t had one for ages because I can’t find out that really tastes good and not that greasy. I love that this is oven-baked. I will try to make my own sandwiches this weekend with your recipe. 🙂
Emily says
I’m always looking for new recipes and this one sounds so good! I need to make this for dinner!
Kara says
This looks like a delicious meal, will have to give it a try
Anosa says
I could totally do with one of these sandwiches right now. They look absolutely delicious!