Chicken Milanese

Breaded, pan-fried chicken cutlets, deliciously seasoned and cooked until crispy. An easy 30-minute entrée the whole family will enjoy.

Prep: 15

Cook: 15

Total: 30

Yield:4 cutlets with salad

Equipment

Cutting board
Sharp knife
parchment paper if needed, see instructions
rolling pin if needed, see instructions
3 medium-sized shallow bowls
3 whisks or 2 whisks and 1 fork
Large plate
baking sheet
Paper towels
wire cooling rack
Large cast-iron skillet or other large heavy-bottomed skillet
Tongs
internal meat thermometer

Ingredients

For the Chicken Milanese

2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts approximately 1 pound total
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ cup all-purpose flour see Notes
2 large eggs
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs see Notes
¼ cup grated fresh parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more if needed

To Serve

fresh baby arugula
fresh parmesan shavings
lemon wedges
olive oil
sea salt

Instructions

Place chicken breasts on cutting board. Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create 4 equally-sized cutlets. If cutlets are uneven or are more than ½-inch thick, place cutlets between 2 sheets parchment paper and pound chicken until cutlets are roughly ¼-inch thick.
Liberally season chicken cutlets on all sides with salt and fresh pepper. Set cutlets aside.
Place flour in shallow bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, then whisk ingredients together until fully incorporated. Set flour mixture aside.
Crack eggs directly into second shallow bowl. Beat eggs with whisk or fork until eggs are fully combined. Mixture should be pale in color and no longer streaky. Set egg mixture aside.
Add breadcrumbs and grated parmesan to third shallow bowl. Mix ingredients together until fully incorporated, then set breadcrumbs mixture aside.
One by one, place chicken cutlets in flour mixture, dredging both sides through flour completely. Shake any excess flour back into bowl, then transfer floured chicken to egg mixture.
Dip cutlet into egg mixture until submerged, then hold cutlet over bowl and allow excess egg to drip back into bowl.
Place cutlet in breadcrumb mixture and coat both sides completely, pressing cutlet into breadcrumbs lightly to ensure breadcrumbs stick.
Shake any excess breadcrumb mixture back into bowl, then transfer cutlet to large plate. Repeat until all cutlets have been completely breaded in flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs. Set cutlets aside.
Line baking sheet with layers of paper towels. Place wire cooling rack over paper towels and set baking sheet aside.
Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. When pan is warm, add olive oil. Swirl pan to fully distribute oil, then continue heating skillet until oil is hot and shimmery.
When oil is ready, place cutlets in skillet, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding. Pan-fry cutlets 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, then flip cutlets over and fry another 2 to 3 minutes. When cutlets are golden brown on both sides and reach 160° Fahrenheit internally, transfer cutlets from skillet to wire cooling rack. Repeat with any remaining cutlets.
Allow chicken cutlets to rest on cooling rack 3 to 5 minutes. While chicken rests, plate fresh arugula and garnish with parmesan shavings, olive oil, and sprinkle of sea salt.
Once chicken has rested for desired length of time, divide chicken between serving plates with arugula salads. Garnish with additional lemon wedges and sea salt if desired and serve warm.

Notes

Wire Cooling Rack: For really crispy breading, use a wire cooling rack to hold the fried chicken off the paper towels catching the excess oil. If you don't have a wire cooling rack, you can place the fried chicken cutlets directly on the paper towels - they'll just rest in the excess oil, which can make the breading soggy.
Make it Dairy Free: Omit the parmesan cheese.
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs and gluten-free flour.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik