Cheddar Breaded Chicken Cutlets

My daughter will often ask for breaded chicken cutlets.  My husband likes to say he gets the chicken cordon blues from having so much chicken so I try to keep some variety in the chicken dishes.  Usually when I make breaded chicken, I add parmesan to the bread crumbs.  I had other ingredients on hand that would go better with Tex-mex flavors so I decided to add cheddar to the breadcrumbs instead of parmesan and hope for the best.  This was one of those strange ideas I had that worked.  I was a little concerned that the breading would stick properly or the cheese would burn but it didn't.  I wasn't going to post this because it really isn't a recipe but a method.  That was until a few of my co-workers commented to to me about the great smell from me reheating the leftovers from this meal the next day.  It really was good and nice to have something a little different.  I used pre-shredded bagged cheddar cheese because the ingredients they add to prevent caking also helps the cheese stay where it should instead of running.

Ingredients:
4 thin cut chicken cutlets
3/4 cup of flour
2 eggs, beaten and thinned with cold water
1 cup of panko
1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese (I used bagged pre-shredded sharp)
Oil for cooking

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Make sure that there is enough oil in the pan to coat the entire bottom and come partially up the sides of the chicken.  Set-up a breading station with three flat vessels.  In the first vessel, add in flour and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Crack eggs into the second vessel, beat and thin with water.  Place the panko and cheese in the third vessel.  Make sure each vessel is well mixed.  Dip chicken into flour mixture, then egg, then panko.  Make sure the chicken is well coated in each stage and you should press the cheese and panko lightly in.

Place the chicken in the preheated pan and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until browned and partially cooked through (actual cook time will vary based on cutlet thickness).  Carefully flip over, taking care to make are you loosen any breading spots that may be sticking with a spatula and cook on the second side until browned and the chicken is fully cooked through to 165, about 5 minutes depending on cutlet thickness.  I served this with guacamole.