Where Can I Buy Chicken Cutlets? The Ultimate Shopping Guide

Are you craving some delicious, tender chicken cutlets for your next meal but unsure where to find them? I’ve been there too! As someone who absolutely loves cooking with chicken cutlets, I know the struggle of tracking down the perfect ones. The good news is that chicken cutlets are widely available if you know where to look. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share all the best places to buy chicken cutlets, what to look for when purchasing them, and some helpful tips for making the most of these versatile pieces of chicken.

What Exactly Are Chicken Cutlets?

Before diving into where to buy them, let’s make sure we’re on the same page about what chicken cutlets actually are.

Chicken cutlets are thin, tender pieces of chicken breast that are often used in a variety of dishes They’re basically chicken breasts that have been sliced thin or pounded flat The thinness makes them perfect for quick cooking methods like pan-frying, and they absorb flavors beautifully.

Some key characteristics of chicken cutlets:

• Typically boneless and skinless
• Usually about 1/4 inch thick
• Cook quickly due to their thinness
• Perfect for breading and frying
• Great for absorbing marinades

Where to Buy Chicken Cutlets

1. Grocery Stores and Supermarkets

The most convenient option for most people is to buy chicken cutlets at their local grocery store or supermarket. Most major chains carry them in their meat departments.

Popular brands you might find include:

• Perdue
• Bell & Evans
• Empire Kosher
• Coleman (for organic options)
• Store brands

Some grocery stores that commonly carry chicken cutlets

• Publix
• Food Lion
• Market Basket
• Whole Foods
• Trader Joe’s
• Safeway
• Kroger
• Albertsons

2. Online Grocery Delivery Services

In today’s digital age ordering groceries online has never been easier. Services like Instacart offer a wide selection of chicken cutlets that can be delivered right to your door.

On Instacart, you can find numerous chicken cutlet options including:

• Perdue Fresh Cuts Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Cutlets (1.5 lb)
• Perdue Chicken Breast Cutlets (4 pack)
• Publix Italian-Style Skinless Boneless Marinated Chicken Breast Cutlets (24 oz)
• Bell & Evans Thin Sliced, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (1 lb)
• Food Lion Parmesan Cheese Breaded Chicken Cutlets (sold by pound)
• Market Basket Breast Cutlets (1.2 lb)

What’s great about using Instacart is that you can compare different options, read descriptions, and have your chicken cutlets delivered in as little as 2 hours!

3. Specialty Poultry Farms and Butcher Shops

For the absolute freshest chicken cutlets, specialty poultry farms and local butcher shops are your best bet. These places often provide higher quality meat than what you’d find in a typical grocery store.

For example, Goffle Road Poultry Farm offers paper-thinned chicken breast cutlets for $7.99 per pound. These are cut as thin as possible by hand, with roughly 5-6 pieces per pound. They’re completely boneless and skinless, making them perfect for quick-cooking dishes.

Benefits of buying from specialty shops:

• Fresher meat
• Often higher quality
• May be locally raised
• Personalized service
• Custom cutting options

4. Farmers Markets

Don’t overlook your local farmers market! Many local poultry farmers sell their products directly to consumers at these markets. The chicken is typically fresher and you can often speak directly with the farmer about how the chickens were raised.

5. Meal Kit Delivery Services

Services like Blue Apron, HelloFresh, and Home Chef sometimes include recipes featuring chicken cutlets. While you can’t buy just the cutlets this way, it’s an option if you want to try cooking with them as part of a complete meal.

What to Look for When Buying Chicken Cutlets

Now that you know where to buy chicken cutlets, here’s what to look for to ensure you’re getting the best quality:

Freshness Indicators

According to information from Instacart’s guide to chicken cutlets, fresh chicken cutlets should have:

• Light pink flesh that feels firm and cold
• No excess liquid at the bottom of the container
• No odor
• Clean appearance
• No gray coloring or visible blemishes

If the cutlets include skin, it should be white, off-white, or yellowish.

Types of Chicken Cutlets

When shopping for chicken cutlets, you’ll encounter several varieties:

1. Regular Cutlets: These are simply sliced from the breast and may vary in thickness.

2. Paper-Thin Cutlets: As offered by places like Goffle Road Poultry Farm, these are cut extremely thin (about 5-6 pieces per pound) and cook very quickly.

3. Breaded Cutlets: Pre-breaded options save time but may contain additional ingredients or preservatives.

4. Marinated Cutlets: These come pre-seasoned in various flavors like Italian, garlic, or lemon.

5. Organic/Free-Range Cutlets: These come from chickens raised with access to the outdoors and often without antibiotics.

Packaging and Quantity

Chicken cutlets are typically sold in several ways:

• By the pound (usually ranging from $4-$8 per pound depending on quality)
• In pre-packaged amounts (often 1-1.5 pounds)
• Individually (at some butcher shops)

When buying, consider how many cutlets you need. At Goffle Road Poultry Farm, for instance, you get roughly 5-6 pieces per pound of their paper-thinned cutlets.

How Chicken Cutlets Differ From Other Chicken Cuts

It’s worth noting how chicken cutlets differ from other similar chicken products you might encounter:

• Chicken Tenders: These come from the side of the breast near the wing and are naturally more tender.

• Chicken Strips: Often cut from the whole breast but not necessarily thinned out like cutlets.

• Chicken Nuggets: These are processed ground chicken formed into shapes, unlike cutlets which are whole pieces of meat.

Preparing Store-Bought Chicken Cutlets

Once you’ve purchased your chicken cutlets, here are some preparation tips:

For Regular Thickness Cutlets

If you’ve purchased cutlets that aren’t paper-thin, you might want to pound them to an even thickness:

1. Place the cutlet between two pieces of plastic wrap
2. Use a meat mallet or heavy pan to gently pound to desired thickness
3. Aim for about 1/4 inch for most recipes

Tenderizing

To make your cutlets even more tender:

1. Use a meat tenderizer tool (the spiky side)
2. Gently pound the cutlets to break down connective tissue
3. This helps them cook more evenly and absorb flavors better

Creative Ways to Use Chicken Cutlets

Chicken cutlets are incredibly versatile. Here are some popular dishes you can make:

• Chicken Parmesan: Bread and fry cutlets, top with marinara and cheese
• Chicken Piccata: Sauté cutlets and make a lemon-caper sauce
• Chicken Marsala: Cook with mushrooms and marsala wine
• Chicken Milanese: Bread, fry, and top with arugula salad
• Chicken Katsu: Japanese-style breaded cutlets
• Chicken Schnitzel: German-style breaded cutlets
• Stir-fries: Cut into smaller pieces for quick Asian dishes
• Chicken Alfredo: Slice and add to pasta with creamy sauce

Making Your Own Chicken Cutlets

If you can’t find pre-cut chicken cutlets or prefer to make your own, it’s actually quite simple:

1. Purchase boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2. Place them on a cutting board
3. Hold your knife parallel to the board
4. Carefully slice through the middle of the breast horizontally
5. Open like a book to create two thinner pieces
6. For even thinner cutlets, pound with a meat mallet

This is often more economical than buying pre-cut cutlets and gives you control over the thickness.

Storing Chicken Cutlets

Proper storage is essential for maintaining freshness:

Refrigeration

• Store fresh cutlets in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days
• Keep in original packaging or transfer to an airtight container
• Place on the bottom shelf to prevent cross-contamination

Freezing

• Wrap individual cutlets in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags
• Label with the date
• Store for up to 9 months
• Thaw in refrigerator overnight before using

Final Thoughts on Buying Chicken Cutlets

Finding chicken cutlets isn’t difficult once you know where to look. Whether you prefer the convenience of grocery stores and online delivery, or the quality of specialty farms and butcher shops, there are plenty of options available.

I personally love getting my cutlets from local farms when possible, but I’ve definitely ordered them through Instacart when I’m in a pinch! The paper-thin cutlets from specialty places like Goffle Road Poultry Farm are worth seeking out for special dishes where the thinness really matters.

Remember that fresh chicken cutlets should have a light pink color, firm texture, and no odor. When in doubt, ask your butcher or meat counter person for recommendations – they’re usually happy to help you find exactly what you need.

With so many options available, from grocery stores to online delivery to specialty farms, you’ll never have to wonder “where can I buy chicken cutlets?” again!

Another name for a chicken cutlet can vary by region, with common terms including schnitzel (German-speaking), escalope (French), cotoletta (Italian), and Milanese (Italian/Latin American). The specific term used often depends on the cultural context and any variations in preparation, such as breading or pounding the chicken.

A chicken cutlet is a boneless, skinless chicken breast that has been sliced horizontally to create thinner, more uniform pieces, which are often then pounded to an even thinner consistency for quick and even cooking. You can make them from a whole breast or buy them pre-sliced and pounded at the butcher or market.