Small Thanksgiving dinner party? This recipe for turkey cutlets combines the best parts of a roast turkey and stuffing, but easily serves two to four people without all the fuss.
Earlier this year, when the pandemic hit, Kevin’s company quickly sent everyone home to work remotely. Suddenly, both of us were working from home and then the lockdown started.
No restaurants meant cooking everything at home! Total bummer when you just want a night out. So, we decided to try Hello Fresh as a way to replace our dinners out. We really enjoyed the ease of not having to worry about what was for dinner a few nights a week.
Well one of these nights we had Hello Fresh’s Crispy Mozzarella and Herb Chicken. It was so awesome we bought ingredients to make it again the following night!
Then I got to thinking about Thanksgiving. I knew that it wasn’t going to be the normal celebration… so I started working on a Thanksgiving version of this recipe.
Easy turkey tenderloin recipe
The idea was to create an easy turkey dinner for two or four people without all of the fuss of making a whole turkey and all the side dishes. What’s essential? Well obviously turkey with stuffing.
So, I purchased turkey tenderloins and adapted the panko crust to include country sausage, scallions, parsley and sage to get that classic homemade dressing taste. The end result is a recipe that is easy, delicious, takes a fraction of the time of roasting a turkey and tastes like Thanksgiving!
Bonus: the ease of this panko crusted turkey cutlet recipe will leave you time to make your favorite side dishes!
Thanksgiving Dinner 2020
Like I said, this year is different, so many of us will be cooking ourselves rather than traveling. And although less people will be around the dinner table, it’s still a great year to be thankful! So if this sounds like your situation, we have the recipes to make your dinner delicious and approachable!
Our 2020 paired down menu this year includes:
It’s all the great flavors you expect, but easier and faster! The green beans are buttery and crisp, the gravy is rich and sweet and easy to prep in advance and the mashed taters are my go to recipe whether it’s a weeknight or holiday. Plus, we’ve added homemade cornmeal biscuits to sop up the gravy!
Tips for setting the Thanksgiving table
Even if your party is small, now is the time to break out the good dishes and get festive! This year has taught us that life is short, so live it up now! If you plan in advance, you can create a beautiful table that will make you and your loved ones smile.
- Don’t wait until the last minute to set the table! The time to do it is now! By planning in advance you can enjoy the holiday rather than stress about the details.
- Mix and match your china. You don’t need to have everything match, it just needs to coordinate. Our table this year features a mixture of vintage china patterns with jadeite accents and gold hues.
- Shine your flatware. It’s a great time to give your set a polish whether it’s bronze, silver or stainless.
- Pull out your best wine glasses! You know Grandma’s crystal set that’s hiding in a dusty closet? It’s time to adult like the adults of old!
- Choose your serving dishes in advance too. Does the casserole have to go from oven to table? Do you need a big salad bowl? Make sure you have a plan. Even better? Label the serving dishes with post it notes so your family can help.
- Don’t forget the flowers, candles and seasonal decor. I doesn’t have to be pricey either! Most of my decor came from the farmers market and grocery store. Some of my greenery came from my herb garden, so get creative!
- Bottom line, discover ways to reimagine your holiday table with what you already have. By planning early, if you’re short on a few items you’ll have time to purchase or borrow the items you’re missing.
I hope you have the BEST Thanksgiving. Sometimes the best things in life come in small packages!
Panko Crusted Turkey Cutlets Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds turkey tenderloins or turkey steaks
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup cooked, crumbled country sausage
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup swiss cheese , finely grated
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese , finely grated
- ¼ cup green scallion tops , finely chopped
- ¼ cup parsley , finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sage, , finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- If using tenderloins, cut them in half. One by one, place a piece of turkey between layers of plastic wrap and pound until 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper then place the cutlets on the sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cover the top and sides of the cutlets with sour cream then top with crumbled sausage.
- In a bowl combine panko, cheeses, scallions, herbs and olive oil with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Evenly spread the panko mixture over the top and sides of the turkey and gently press down the topping.
- Place pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 20-25 minutes, turning halfway. Turkey is done when it reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer.
Notes
- I’ve made this recipe with turkey tenderloins and turkey “steaks”. The steaks didn’t need to be pounded thin so less work, but I preferred the tenderloins because they turned out more juicy.
- If you’re making this recipe for Thanksgiving, the sausage can be cooked in advance and refrigerated.
- If you don’t have parchment, oil your sheet pan.
- All ovens are different! If your panko starts to brown too quickly, move the pan to the bottom rack of the oven and turn the heat back a little.
Nutrition
Is Thanksgiving your favorite holiday? Make sure to check out all our recipes and ideas!
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Sophia says
Mouthwatering! Looks delicious :) Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.