James Kenji Lopez-Alt
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The Secret Ingredient for the Juiciest, Most Flavorful Chicken Cutlets
🕑 Added 2025-09-17 13:00:16 +0000 UTCThis is a recipe I developed for the New York Times, and you can read it 100% free with these gift links:
Photo: David Malosh for The New York Times
Photo Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne
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You may love it. You may hate it. But there’s no denying that mayonnaise is one of the most unexpectedly powerful tools in the kitchen. In this new video, I revisit my NYT Cooking piece on why mayo works wonders for beef, pork, chicken, and even fish.
I know the idea of smearing mayonnaise on raw chicken might make some of you excited and others a little queasy, but hear me out: it works. Mayo is an emulsion of fat, water, and egg protein, which means it sticks to the meat, helps it brown faster, and keeps it juicy — all without leaving behind any “mayo” flavor. Mix it with anything — barbecue sauce, curry paste, chimichurri — and it won’t just cling better, it’ll cook better. With chicken cutlets, this trick is a game-changer: they cook through in minutes, but thanks to that mayo coating, you still get a golden, flavorful crust every time.
Here’s what makes it special:
Why it works: The emulsion spreads evenly, sticks to the surface, and turns into a browning-boosting layer when it hits the heat.
Better browning: Thin cuts like chicken cutlets or flank steak finally get a golden crust before overcooking.
No more burnt sauces: Mayo dilutes sweet sauces so they grill hot without scorching.
Flavor booster: It carries and locks in flavors from any marinade or condiment you mix in.
In the video, I show the technique with two different marinades on chicken cutlets finished on the grill, but you’ll see it works just as well on beef, pork, and fish. In my testing, there wasn’t a single marinade or sauce that wasn’t improved by mayo, no matter the cooking method — pan, oven, or grill.
Whether you’re a mayo-lover or a mayo-skeptic, this trick might just change the way you cook.
Get the free recipe:
Comments
Mzafki
Do you have any tips for doing this with a teriyaki sauce? I have a bottle laying around and I tried making it twice on a stainless steel pan. Unfortunately both attempts were a failure: 1. I made the cutlets too thick so obviously I couldn't get them cooked properly before burning the outer part into oblivion 2. I don't know why but my marinade doesn't end up as thick as what you get in any of those videos. I tried 2:1 mayo:teriyaki sauce but it still didn't stick to the meat and I ended up with a burnt layer of sauce in the pan. 3:1 ratio sounds like a heart attack recipe to me so I'm wondering if there's a different way to make it thicker
Nancy Alexander
Thanks Kenji, but someone posted the recipe! Got it!
Chris Pickard
I'm curious to try this with a firm tofu
