Knife work
How to pound chicken and cutlets thin
Flatten meat to an even thickness so it cooks quickly and evenly.
Step by step
- Put the meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a zip-top bag with the air pressed out.
- Start in the thickest part and hit it with the flat side of a meat mallet, a rolling pin or a small heavy pan.
- Work outward, pushing as much as hitting, so it spreads instead of tearing.
- Stop when it is the thickness the recipe asks for all over.
How you know it's done
The piece is the same thickness edge to edge, usually ¼ to ½ inch, with no holes.
Common mistakes
- Hitting too hard in one spot, which tears holes.
- Pounding without a cover, which splashes raw juices around the kitchen.
Simmerbee recipes that use it (5)
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
- Crispy Chicken Parmesan
- Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Breasts
- Juicy Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts
- Lemon Caper Chicken Piccata
In those recipes the word is underlined in the steps; tap it for the short version. In hands-free cook mode, ask “How do I pound?”