Walnuts replaced breadcrumbs in 1960s Emilia-Romagna when wheat shortages forced Italian cooks to innovate with local nuts.
Walnut–Parmesan Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Parmesan Gnocchi
Get ready to savor a delightful fusion of flavors with our Walnut-Parmesan Chicken Cutlets paired with velvety parmesan gnocchi! Each crispy cutlet is coated in a crunchy walnut and cheese crust, while the creamy gnocchi melts in your mouth, creating a dish that’s both satisfying and irresistible. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this recipe brings comfort food to a whole new level!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Chopped parsley or chives for garnishoptional
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 2 chicken breasts (1lb), sliced in half and pounded thin (454 g)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken broth (240-240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 2 tbsp butter (28 g)
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ cup heavy cream (180 ml)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 lb gnocchi (fresh or shelf-stable) (454 g)
- ¼ cup olive oil (for shallow frying) (60 ml)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (240 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- Flaky salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 ml)
- Pinch nutmeg (optional, cozy)optional
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (5 ml)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Kosher salt + pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (2.5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- ¼ cup dry white wine (optional) (60 ml)optional
- 1 cup toasted California walnuts, very finely chopped (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by lightly toasting your California walnuts in a dry pan to bring out their natural flavors and give them a quick blitz in a food processor.
- 2
Combine walnuts with panko, Parmesan, and seasonings.
- 3
Pound chicken super thin, season with salt and pepper, coat in an egg wash, and press firmly into walnut panko.
- 4
Fry the cutlets in olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt while still hot.
- 5
In the same pan, melt butter and sauté shallot with a pinch of salt, pepper, and Calabrian chilies.
- 6
Add a little wine, then pour in broth, cream, nutmeg, and gnocchi.
- 7
Simmer while toasting leftover walnut panko in a little butter for added crunch.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast walnuts at medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned, as overtoasted nuts become bitter due to tannin concentration and can overpower the delicate chicken.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Pound chicken to exactly ¼-inch thickness using plastic wrap to prevent tearing - this ensures 3-4 minute cook time and prevents the walnut coating from burning before chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.technique¼-inch thickness
- ✓Press walnut-panko coating firmly for 30 seconds per side to create mechanical adhesion, as walnuts' natural oils help bind the coating better than traditional breadcrumbs.technique30 seconds per side
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 325-350°F for cutlets - too hot and the walnut coating burns before chicken cooks through, too cool and coating absorbs excess oil becoming soggy.equipment325-350°F
- ✓Add gnocchi directly to the cream sauce without pre-boiling since store-bought gnocchi will finish cooking in 4-5 minutes while absorbing the Parmesan flavors and thickening the sauce through released starches.timing4-5 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Walnuts replaced breadcrumbs in 1960s Emilia-Romagna when wheat shortages forced Italian cooks to innovate with local nuts.
Walnut–Parmesan Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Parmesan Gnocchi
Get ready to savor a delightful fusion of flavors with our Walnut-Parmesan Chicken Cutlets paired with velvety parmesan gnocchi! Each crispy cutlet is coated in a crunchy walnut and cheese crust, while the creamy gnocchi melts in your mouth, creating a dish that’s both satisfying and irresistible. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this recipe brings comfort food to a whole new level!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- Zest of ½ lemon
- Chopped parsley or chives for garnishoptional
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 2 chicken breasts (1lb), sliced in half and pounded thin (454 g)
- 1 to 1 ½ cups chicken broth (240-240 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(4)
- 2 tbsp butter (28 g)
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ cup heavy cream (180 ml)
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 lb gnocchi (fresh or shelf-stable) (454 g)
- ¼ cup olive oil (for shallow frying) (60 ml)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (240 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(7)
- Flaky salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning (5 ml)
- Pinch nutmeg (optional, cozy)optional
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (5 ml)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Kosher salt + pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (2.5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- ¼ cup dry white wine (optional) (60 ml)optional
- 1 cup toasted California walnuts, very finely chopped (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start by lightly toasting your California walnuts in a dry pan to bring out their natural flavors and give them a quick blitz in a food processor.
- 2
Combine walnuts with panko, Parmesan, and seasonings.
- 3
Pound chicken super thin, season with salt and pepper, coat in an egg wash, and press firmly into walnut panko.
- 4
Fry the cutlets in olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky salt while still hot.
- 5
In the same pan, melt butter and sauté shallot with a pinch of salt, pepper, and Calabrian chilies.
- 6
Add a little wine, then pour in broth, cream, nutmeg, and gnocchi.
- 7
Simmer while toasting leftover walnut panko in a little butter for added crunch.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast walnuts at medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant but not browned, as overtoasted nuts become bitter due to tannin concentration and can overpower the delicate chicken.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Pound chicken to exactly ¼-inch thickness using plastic wrap to prevent tearing - this ensures 3-4 minute cook time and prevents the walnut coating from burning before chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.technique¼-inch thickness
- ✓Press walnut-panko coating firmly for 30 seconds per side to create mechanical adhesion, as walnuts' natural oils help bind the coating better than traditional breadcrumbs.technique30 seconds per side
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 325-350°F for cutlets - too hot and the walnut coating burns before chicken cooks through, too cool and coating absorbs excess oil becoming soggy.equipment325-350°F
- ✓Add gnocchi directly to the cream sauce without pre-boiling since store-bought gnocchi will finish cooking in 4-5 minutes while absorbing the Parmesan flavors and thickening the sauce through released starches.timing4-5 minutes