Tortilla Treatment

• Tortillas need prep work before you can use them as breadcrumb substitutes for coating the chicken. Stack the tortillas, cut them into eighths and place them on a baking sheet to crisp for 10 to 12 minutes in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven, turning them once halfway through cooking. Then, crush them in a sturdy plastic bag with a rolling pin or potato masher. You might use a mix of cumin, chili powder, salt and smoked paprika to season the crumbs.

Embrace the Mess

• You'll need plenty of counter space for plates and bowls with the flour and eggs that will help the tortilla crumbs to stick to the chicken. After drying the cutlets with paper towels, dredge them in flour, dip them in beaten eggs and press them into the tortilla crumbs. Set each cutlet aside on a wire cooling rack until you finish preparing each one. The cooling rack keeps the cutlets from becoming soggy.

Oil, Heat, Repeat

• To turn the tortilla coating golden brown, use a large skillet and be prepared to cook in batches, keeping cooked cutlets warm in the oven while you finish cooking. Begin with about 2 tablespoons of oil and add additional oil to the pan after cooking each batch, as the crumbs will soak up the oil quickly. If you find that the second side of the cutlets isn't turning golden brown like the first side, add more oil when you flip the cutlets.

Make It Tex-Mex

• Since you are using tortillas, choose garnishes and side dishes for the cutlets that lend a Tex-Mex flair. Top the cutlets with fresh salsa and cilantro leaves or mimic a tostada and top them with shredded iceberg lettuce topped with slices of avocado and onion. Beans and rice are traditional Tex-Mex sides, but you could also serve cooked carrots tossed with cilantro, a green salad with orange slices or coleslaw.