Chicken Milanese

This super crispy Chicken Milanese features crispy fried chicken cutlets served with arugula, tomatoes, lemon wedges, and shaved parmesan. It's a simple, classic Italian dish that you'll love making at home!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 533kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Chicken

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 ½ lbs.
salt/pepper to taste

Flour

⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, paprika

Eggs

2 large eggs whisked well
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon heavy cream optional

Breadcrumbs

1 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
½ teaspoon garlic salt

For Frying

5 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil plus more as needed
2 tablespoons butter

For Serving

Arugula, tomatoes, shaved parmesan cheese, lemon slices, fresh parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Combine the flour, egg, and breadcrumb mixtures in 3 separate shallow bowls. (Be sure to beat the eggs until very frothy, this ensures they’re light/airy and not too dense.)
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use a meat tenderizer to pound each to ¼-inch thick (no thicker). 2 layers of saran wrap will further protect the chicken if needed.
Pat the chicken dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Dredge completely in the flour mixture, working the flour into every nook and cranny of the chicken. Tap off excess.
Dip the chicken in the egg mixture until just coated, use your fingers to slide off excess. (Too much egg left on the chicken can bleed through the breading, which will make it less crispy.)
Coat the chicken very generously in the breadcrumbs, turning to coat on each side a few times.
Heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Once hot and glistening, add the first batch of chicken, don’t overcrowd the skillet. Brown on each side for 3-4 minutes, until golden. If the oil gets too hot, turn it down slightly, and turn it up again later if needed. Add small splashes of additional oil as needed throughout frying.
Remove chicken with a slotted spatula. If possible, set cooling racks over a baking sheet and let the chicken cool on top for maximum crispiness. Otherwise, transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Repeat with remaining chicken. Serve with a side of arugula, tomatoes, dressing of choice, and shaved parmesan. Squeeze with fresh lemon and top with freshly cracked pepper.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Pound the chicken nice and thin, this is key to restaurant-quality results. It takes time/patience, but it's worth it, and also makes the chicken very tender! Chicken plumps up more as it cooks so keep that in mind.
For the egg layer: Use your fingers to gently slide excess egg coating off of the chicken. We want it wet enough to grip the breadcrumbs, but not so much that it will bleed through the breading.
Breading: Freshly grated Parmesan adds a lot of flavor to the breading. I grate Belgioioso Parmesan from a block. I use 4C Plain Panko Breadcrumbs.
A little butter is used to fry the chicken to add more golden color. Oil has a higher smoke point and can withstand the high heat necessary in order to fry without burning.
Make sure the oil is sufficiently heated before you add the chicken, this ensures the breading stays intact as it should fry immediately. Otherwise it can get soggy and won’t be as crispy.
Make adjustments to the heat (up/down), as needed throughout frying. I usually have to turn the heat down slightly after the first batch is fried.
Fry in batches and leave room around the chicken to make sure the edges get crispy.
A large (10-inch or larger) Cast Iron or Enamel Cast Iron skillet will achieve the best result for this recipe.
Clean as you go. By the time I'm ready to fry, I've wiped down the counter and I always wash the dishes as I go. This way you're not left with a big mess to clean up afterward.
Leftovers are perfect for making Chicken Parmesan! This is also a great dish to make in bulk and freeze after breading. Let it thaw completely, then fry as outlined!
Be sure to try my Hot Honey Chicken next! It's super crispy and baked, not fried!

Storage:

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Leftovers freeze really well. Flash freeze on a plate for 1 hour, then stack them in a freezer bag and seal out all of the air.

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition