Hash Brown Chicken Cutlets (Potato Crusted Chicken)
Juicy chicken coated in super crispy shredded potato - this truly is the best kind of fried chicken!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Box Grater (for grating potato)
- Large Bowl (for rinsing potato)
- Clean Tea Towel (for straining potato)
- 3 Large Dishes (for dredging)
- Large (preferably heavy-based) Pan & Tongs (for frying chicken)
- Kitchen Thermometer
- Wire Rack and Paper Towels (for resting chicken)
Ingredients
- 650g / 1.4lbs Potatoes (see notes)
- 30g / 1oz Parmesan (see notes)
- 35g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper
- 2 Eggs, beaten
- 2x 200g/7oz Chicken Breasts, take out of the fridge 30 mins or so before needed (see notes)
- 240ml / 1 cup Vegetable Oil, for frying
- Flaky Sea Salt, to serve (for just more regular salt)
Instructions
- Use a box grater to grate the potatoes (no need to peel), then place into a large bowl. Fill with enough cold water to comfortably cover the shredded potato, then use your hand to swish everything around. The water should turn cloudy from the excess starch.
- A handful at a time, grab the potato, squeeze out excess water, then place in the centre of a large, clean tea towel. Twist it into a ball over the sink and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. For extra insurance, I then like to untwist the ball and press down kitchen roll/paper towels to remove any excess water. If the potato is at all soggy, it won't bind or crisp up on the chicken.
- Place the now dry shredded potato in a large dish and combine with the parmesan (do not add salt). Place a dish with the beaten egg to the left of it, then place the flour + the seasonings in a large dish to the left of that.
- Carefully slice the chicken breasts right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets. If they're still thick and/or uneven, consider using cling film and a rolling pin to gently pound them to level them out.
- One by one, coat the cutlets in the flour, then egg, then the shredded potato. You'll need to press the potato into the chicken to create a flat, even coating of potato that completely covers the chicken.
- Add enough oil to comfortably fill the base of a large (preferably heavy-based) pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to 180C/350F (a shred of potato should rapidly sizzle). Carefully add the cutlets and fry both sides for around 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy with the chicken cooked through the centre (safe internal temp of chicken is 74C/165F). Lower the heat/and or add in more oil if they look like they're burning/cooking too quickly (you can peek underneath to check). Place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil. You may need to work in two batches.
- Serve the chicken with a good pinch of salt (remember the potato isn't seasoned), then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Chicken - I like the chicken relatively small/thin to ensure it definitely cooks through by the time the potato cooks. I also recommend getting the chicken close to room temp before cooking. I find cooking fridge-cold meat causes it to seize up and release moisture, which, in turn, would work to push off the potato.
b) Potatoes - I recommend floury/baking potatoes like Maris Pipers or Russets, because they crisp up, whilst still staying fluffy in the centre.
c) Rinsing - I have tested this recipe by rinsing the potato and by not rinsing. They do crisp up a little more efficiently if you wash off the starch first, but it's not a complete deal-breaker if you just squeeze out the moisture without rinsing first. The most important thing is squeezing out the water from the potato, so definitely do not skip this step.
d) Parmesan - This adds a boost of flavour and helps the coating crisp up even more. If you are vegetarian then just use a vegetarian alternative. I like to use the fresh dusty variety you find in packets in the refrigerated section, just because it blends through the shredded potato really nicely.
e) Salt - You do not want to salt the potato directly, because it'll draw out moisture, no matter how much you already squeezed out. Salting the potato will just make the batter go soggy, so just salt once they're cooked.
f) Calories - Per cutlet assuming all the flour/egg/potato is used and 1 tbsp oil is soaked up per cutlet.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.5g | Protein: 31.31g | Fat: 19.65g | Saturated Fat: 4.395g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8.884g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.929g | Trans Fat: 0.147g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 809mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 1.4g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 32.1mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3.01mg