I used to pound my chicken breasts to make them flat and even.  But I never was a fan.  Not only was it a pain to keep the meat from “splattering” from underneath plastic wrap, but also the pounding action unattractively shredded the flesh.  Not pretty.

If you feel the same way I do… have you ever tried making cutlets?

I learned this tip way-back from Cooks Illustrated.  All you have to do is to hold your knife parallel to the chicken breast and slowly and carefully slice through the chicken.  Pressing your hand on top of the chicken breast also allows you to “feel” your way as you slice carefully through the chicken breast.

Not only does this leave the integrity of the flesh, it also is a great way to extend your chicken.  When I used to prepare chicken marsala for two, I would cook with two chicken breasts.  Now, I use one chicken breast, make cutlets and we are good to go!

Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think…. or if you have an additional tips yourself!