Chicken Milanese
Chicken Milanese is thin, crispy chicken topped with a fresh, lemony arugula salad for an easy dinner that tastes restaurant-worthy.
- 2 small to medium boneless skinless chicken breasts (sliced horizontally into 4 thin cutlets (1 pound))
- 1 teaspoon each: salt, (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese ((sandy texture))
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 large lemon (cut to wedges)
- 2 ounces arugula (plus dressing in note 1)
- Shaved Parmesan (to taste)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved (I like getting the medley))
- Pound and season the chicken. Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Place them between two large sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan until thin and evenly thick, about 1/4 inch. In a small bowl, combine the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and pepper. Remove the plastic wrap and season both sides of the chicken evenly.
- Set up the breading station. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and Dijon mustard until smooth. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, Italian breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan.
- Bread the chicken. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge it in flour and gently tap off the excess. Dip into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to coat both sides well. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let rest for 10–15 minutes before frying to help the coating adhere.
- Fry the chicken. Add both oils to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Heat to about 350°F. The oil should shimmer, and a breadcrumb dropped in should sizzle immediately without burning. Working in batches, fry 1–2 cutlets at a time for 1–2 minutes per side, until deeply golden and cooked through (160°F with a food thermometer). Flip only once.
- Drain and rest. Transfer the chicken to a clean wire rack and immediately season with a little more salt. Let rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice if desired.
- Serve. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top and the quick arugula salad from Note 1, if desired.
This summer in London, I had Chicken Milanese at a restaurant and literally could not stop thinking about it. Crispy chicken topped with a fresh, light salad and lots of lemon is seriously such a good combo.
I took a picture of my meal and immediately texted it to my oldest. He’s obsessed with anything crispy chicken and loves cherry tomatoes, so I told him I’d re-create it as soon as I got home.
I made it the very first weekend I was back, and my entire family loved it. Since then, I’ve kept tweaking the breading and seasoning until it tasted just how I remembered it.
Chicken Milanese is the kind of dinner that feels a little fancy without being too fussy, which is always my favorite kind of meal.
Tips For Cooking The Chicken
Chicken Milanese gets so much easier once you get the hang of frying it. Here are a few tips that make a big difference:
- Use a heavy skillet. Cast iron or stainless steel holds heat better and helps the chicken brown more evenly.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough. Aim for 350°F, or until a breadcrumb sizzles right away without burning.
- Don’t add chicken too early. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the breading will soak up oil instead of getting crisp.
- Watch the heat as you fry. The temperature drops when chicken goes in, so adjust the burner as needed between batches.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Fry just a couple of cutlets at a time so the oil stays hot and the chicken browns instead of steaming.
- Flip once. Let the first side get deeply golden before turning. Too much flipping can loosen the breading.
Storage
Chicken Milanese is best right out of the oil and doesn’t store particularly well. You can, however, bread the chicken up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to fry.
Quick Tip
If you aren’t a fan of arugula (or “rocket”, as the Brits call it!), this salad is also really good served on the side.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Quick Arugula Salad: Toss 2 ounces arugula with 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and shaved Parmesan to taste. For the dressing, shake 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a mason jar until emulsified.
Storage: Chicken Milanese is best right out of the oil and doesn’t store particularly well.
