I got tired of pan-frying chicken cutlets every morning, so I decided to try baking them in the oven. The tricky part with oven-baked chicken cutlets is keeping them from turning dry and stringy. We want them juicy. After a few attempts, it turned out pretty well.

After a long stretch of research and practice, I finally landed on the perfect way to cook a pan-seared chicken cutlet. Works for breast or thigh, no exceptions. And it’s dead simple. Ten minutes and you’re done. Even if you’re a fat otaku with a girlfriend who’d rather lick black tights, you don’t have to drool over someone else’s food — you can make this yourself.

Can’t afford beef, don’t want pork. Grabbing some chicken breast and pan-searing it at home is still a pretty good deal.

Back when I ordered takeout at noon, I always got chicken cutlet rice. But the meat never felt like enough, and it wasn’t even good meat. The cucumber inside was limp and soggy too. Worst of all was the sauce — literally a蜻蜓点水 dab, absolutely no flavor at all. Then the scummy vendors, to save money on meat, would drizzle a little sauce over the rice so it tastes like something when you eat it. I posted a photo of my takeout on Twitter and got roasted hard. Everyone said it was garbage meat, garbage veggies, that cheap stuff is cooked in gutter oil, no question it’s junk food… I know it’s junk food, but it’s cheap, and more importantly… I actually think it tastes great! So to avoid eating garbage, looks like I’ll have to make a bowl myself. Not just make it myself — I’ll also make up for the takeout’s shortchanged portions and customize the flavor to my own taste.