Italian

Chicken Cutlets with Green Vodka Sauce

Name: Chicken Cutlets with Green Vodka Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 TBSP unsalted butter; 2 TBSP olive oil; 1 cup sweet onion, chopped; ¼ cup vodka; 24 oz. yellow cherry tomatoes; 3 cloves garlic; ¾ cup heavy cream, divided; reserve a splash for herbs; ⅛ tsp white pepper; ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg; ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ cup Parmesan cheese; 2 ½ oz. fresh basil; 0.2 oz. fresh Italian parsley; as needed olive oil, for frying; ½ tsp kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp red pepper flakes; 1 cup panko crumbs; 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded; as needed fresh parsley or basil, for garnish

Being Italian and loving to cook, chicken cutlets have always been a staple in my kitchen. During one of my brainstorming sessions, I thought about how much everyone loves pink vodka sauce—but what if I could turn it green? The other half of me is Irish, so that little idea felt especially fitting for St. Patrick’s Day! Yellow tomatoes, fresh basil and parsley give my creamy vodka sauce its colorful personality, while melted mozzarella makes it wonderfully indulgent over golden, crunchy cutlets. It’s an Italian-American comfort dinner with a playful nod to my Irish side—and a delicious reason to celebrate both halves of me.

Recipe by Mary Keelan Williams | One Recipe Two Cultures ✓ TESTED & DEVELOPED BY MARY KEELAN WILLIAMS

🇺🇸 American+🇮🇹 Italian

JUMP TO RECIPEPIN RECIPE

Mary’s Introduction

Golden chicken cutlets meet a vivid basil-and-parsley vodka sauce made from yellow tomatoes, cream and Parmesan. Broiled mozzarella gives the finished dish an indulgent, bubbling cap.

Why These Flavors Work

Yellow tomatoes create a mellow vodka-sauce base while basil and parsley turn it fresh and green. Parmesan runs through both sauce and breading, and mozzarella adds a creamy melted finish.

SAVE FOR THE LEFTOVER IDEA

Save Reserve 2 cooked breaded chicken cutlets (about 8–10 oz total) and 1 cup green vodka sauce. to make Personal Chicken‑Vodka Flatbread / Thin Crust Pizza for Two.

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LEFTOVER IDEAS

Turn the leftovers into something new.

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Personal Chicken‑Vodka Flatbread / Thin Crust Pizza for Two

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COOKING MODEChicken Cutlets with Green Vodka Sauce

Follow Mary’s published recipe step by step. Use Keep Screen Awake on the recipe card if needed.

Step 1 of 7

STEP 1

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vodka and cook for 2 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.

STEP 2

Blend the yellow cherry tomatoes and garlic until smooth. Add the puree to the onions and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until some liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens.

STEP 3

Stir in most of the heavy cream, white pepper, nutmeg and Parmesan. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, or until creamy. Season with kosher salt, then turn off the heat and move the pan off the burner.

STEP 4

Blend the basil and parsley with the reserved splash of cream until smooth. Starting with half, stir the herb mixture into the vodka sauce. Taste and add more for a stronger basil flavor.

STEP 5

Butterfly and pound the chicken breasts thin. Set up three bowls: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second, and Italian breadcrumbs, panko, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and Parmesan in the third. Season the chicken on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Coat each piece in flour, then egg, then the breadcrumb mixture.

STEP 6

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Fry the chicken for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until lightly golden and cooked through to 165°F. Transfer to a serving platter.

STEP 7

Spread green sauce over the bottom of an ovenproof pan and top the sauce with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Preheat the broiler and broil until the mozzarella is melted and lightly browned. Pour the melted mozzarella and sauce over the chicken, garnish with parsley or basil and serve immediately.

How to Make Chicken Cutlets with “Green Velvet” Vodka Sauce

Sauté the Onion

Cook the onion in butter and olive oil until tender.

Add Vodka

Cook the vodka for 2 minutes.

Make the Tomato Base

Blend yellow tomatoes and garlic, then simmer until thickened.

Finish the Cream Sauce

Add cream, seasonings and Parmesan and simmer until creamy.

Blend the Herbs

Puree basil and parsley with reserved cream and stir into the sauce to taste.

Bread the Chicken

Coat seasoned cutlets in flour, egg and the breadcrumb mixture.

Fry the Cutlets

Cook about 3 minutes per side until golden and 165°F.

Broil and Serve

Melt mozzarella over green sauce and pour it over the chicken.

Recipe Guidance

Storage

Refrigerate cutlets and sauce separately in airtight containers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days.

Reheating

Reheat cutlets on a rack at 350°F until they reach 165°F. Warm the sauce gently and spoon it on after reheating.

Make Ahead

Prepare the sauce up to 2 days ahead. Pound and bread the cutlets several hours ahead and refrigerate in a single layer.

Serving Suggestions

Arrange the cutlets on a platter, spoon over the green vodka sauce and melted mozzarella, and garnish with fresh herbs.

Mary’s Introduction

Why These Flavors Work