Chicken Milanese

It’s hard to believe that five basic ingredients can produce such pleasing results.

Milanese – a crunchy breading on chicken chops – is one of the easiest Italian preparations and it never fails to wow diners.

Pound and tenderize chicken breasts

Aside from making the chicken more tender and helping it cook faster and more evenly, pounding reduces shrinkage. You know how when you put chicken in a hot pan, it suddenly puckers up? When they get hit, it doesn’t usually happen that often.

The chicken breasts should be about half an inch thick before mashing. Most chicken breast fillets are about twice as thick when you get them, but it’s easy to cut them into thinner pieces. Hold a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board and slice the breast into two thinner slices, like opening a book.

Once you have your half-inch-thick pieces, sandwich them between two pieces of plastic wrap and tap with a mallet or skillet to thin them out even more. You are aiming for a thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Cook and serve Milanese chicken

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, set out a conveyor belt with bowls of flour, beaten egg, and panko crumbs. Dip the chicken slices into each bowl in turn, then sauté in olive oil until golden and crispy.

Chicken Milanese is at its best when you serve it right away, while it still comes out of the pan crispy and hot. However, the dish reheats surprisingly well if you plan on making the schnitzels ahead of time.

Chicken Milanese as a make-ahead dish

If going ahead, allow the cooked chicken to cool completely on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then store in the refrigerator. If you plan to reheat them in a few hours, you can leave them on the baking sheet. Otherwise, place them in an airtight container with parchment between layers and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days.

To warm up, Let the chicken chops sit for half an hour so they lose their chill, then reheat in a 400F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until piping hot and crispy.

Sprinkle the schnitzel with lemon and serve with a green salad. You didn’t end up doing much, but you have a stunning meal any day of the week.

More Italian Chicken Favorites!

Cheese Chicken Parmesan
Skillet Chicken Puttanesca
Chicken Piccata
Chicken marinara

preparation time
30 minutes

cooking time
15 minutes

total time
45 minutes

portions
4 servings

Look for panko crumbs in the international section of your grocery store, although they’re sometimes close to the other packaged breadcrumbs as well. You can also order online.

Serve with a simple tossed salad, like this Kale Caesar Salad

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (1 1/2 pounds, 680G)
1 1/2 cups (190G) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3 big eggs
2 cups (144G) Panko bread crumbs
8 tablespoons (120ml) olive oilor more if required
1 lemoncut into wedgesTo serve

Prepare the chicken:

Set aside smaller breasts or chops that are 1/2 inch thick. Place larger breasts on a cutting board. Hold the top of the chicken with one hand and with the other hand hold a sharp knife parallel to the table, then smash the breast in half like you’re opening a book (watch your fingers!). Cut all the way through to make two thin pieces.

Continue with the remaining large breasts. Pat them dry with kitchen paper. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Chicken the chicken:

Place one of the chicken breast slices between 2 sheets of cling film. Use a meat mallet or small heavy skillet to pound the breast to pat it flat — six good hits or so should do the trick. Continue with the remaining breasts and place them back on the baking sheet.
Set up an assembly line to coat the chicken:

In a cake pan or shallow bowl, add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly. In another cake pan or shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place the panko in a third cake pan or bowl.

Place the chicken pan on the counter. Put the flour to the right. Put the egg to the right, then the panko last in the row.
Spread chicken:

Using tongs, dip a slice of chicken in flour, making sure both sides are coated, and shake the excess into the bowl. Next, brush the chicken with egg and lift it so the excess falls back into the bowl. Finally, add to the panko and spread on both sides.

Place the chicken back on the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining breasts until they are all covered.
Cook the chicken in batches:

With a baking sheet on a medium rack, heat the oven to 250F. Place a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Add enough olives to the pan to make a 1/4-inch layer (about 4 tablespoons). Heat until the oil shimmers and flows; When hot, a piece of panko tossed in the oil should sizzle.

Add 3 chicken pieces in a single layer and cook, without stirring, 4 minutes, or until bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook the other sides an additional 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Keep chicken warm:

Place the finished chicken in the oven to keep it warm while you cook the remaining breasts. Fry the remaining breasts, adding more oil to the pan as needed to keep it coated.
Serve:

Serve immediately with lemon and green salad.

When you get ahead, allow the cooked chicken to cool completely on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then refrigerate. If you plan to reheat them in a few hours, you can leave them on the baking sheet. Otherwise, place them in an airtight container with parchment between layers and refrigerate for 1 to 3 days.

To warm uplet the chicken chops sit for half an hour so they lose their chill, then reheat in a 400F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until piping hot and crispy.