Chicken Milanese Recipe (2024)

Published: by Chef Dennis Littley

5 from 74 votes

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Chicken Milanese is an Italian Classic that’s easy to make and can be on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes. Add a side salad to this restaurant-quality dish, and you’ve got the perfect weeknight meal.

My Chicken Milanese recipe is guaranteed to be better than your favorite Italian restaurant.

Chicken Milanese Recipe (1)

This crispy chicken cutlet is an Italian version of a dish that can be found around the world. In Germany, it’s Chicken Schnitzel; in the United States, it’s a fried chicken cutlet that makes its appearance on sandwiches and countless other delicious dishes.

Chicken Milanese Recipe (2)

Coated with panko breadcrumbs and then pan-fried until golden brown, these chicken cutlets are sure to become a family favorite.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Add your favorite marinara sauce and some shredded mozzarella cheese to my Chicken Milanese, and you’ve got a delicious Chicken Parmesan.

Make up a batch of these flavorful chicken cutlets and freeze them for days you don’t feel like cooking. It makes dinner time easy and delicious!

And if you’re looking for other similar recipes, check out my flavorful chicken Francaise.

Table of Contents:

Ingredients to make Chicken Milanese

Chicken Milanese Recipe (3)

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Chicken Milanese recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

Simple Ingredients

  • Chicken breasts
  • Panko breadcrumbs
  • Grated romano or parmesan cheese
  • Italian parsley
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Black pepper
  • Table salt
  • All-purpose flour
  • Eggs

How to make Chicken Milanese

The key to making the perfect Chicken Milanese is flattening the skinless breasts (which also tenderizes them) with a meat mallet. This makes the chicken breast tender and helps in the cooking process, keeping the breast moist and flavorful.

The chicken breasts should weigh between 4-5 ounces each.

Chicken Milanese Recipe (4)

Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound the chicken with the flat end of a meat mallet until the cutlets are about ¼ inch thick.

*If any of the chicken breasts are thicker than half an inch, use a sharp knife to split the chicken breast in half. Think of it as butterflying the breast. You’re just going to cut all the way through to make two cutlets out of one large breast.

Set up the breading station

Chicken Milanese Recipe (5)
  • Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper to a shallow bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Add two eggs with ¼ cup of milk or water to a shallow bowl and whisk to combine the egg wash.
  • Mix panko breadcrumbs, romano cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, parsley, and lemon zest together in a shallow until well blended. *Replace the breadcrumb mixture with Italian breadcrumbs if you want to make this dish even easier.
Chicken Milanese Recipe (6)
  • Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour. Then, place the piece of chicken in the egg mixture and finally in the breadcrumb mixture.
    Make sure you get a good coating of each ingredient on the chicken breasts, completely coating them with the bread crumbs.
  • Add ½ cup of vegetable oil (or olive oil) to a large skillet, then place it over medium-high heat.
  • When the oil is hot, carefully place the breaded cutlets into the pan and saute until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side).
    *The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature has reached 165°Fahrenheit. The outside should also have a crispy texture.
Chicken Milanese Recipe (7)

Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pan and place them on a wire rack to drain for one minute. *If you are cooking in batches and need to keep them warm, set your oven at 225 degrees and keep them on the wire rack over a baking sheet in the oven until ready to serve.

Chicken Milanese Recipe (8)

Serve the Chicken Milanese with an arugula salad, tossed salad, or any of your favorite side dishes from green beans to french fries. After one taste, I’m sure this will become one of your family’s favorite chicken recipes!

Store any leftover chicken in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is chicken Milanese?

Chicken Milanese finds its origins in Milan, Italy. It was traditionally made with veal, but chicken soon became the more popular version of this classic Italian dish.Thin chicken cutlets are coated with seasoned flour, egg wash, and seasoned bread crumbs, and then quickly fried till crispy and golden brown.

What is Milanese style?

The term Milanese (or Milanesa) meansdredging thin slices of floured meat into an egg mixture and seasoned breadcrumbs. The meat is then quickly pan-fried until golden brown and crispy,

Can I freeze chicken Milanese?

Milanese-style cutlets can easily be frozen. Allow the fried cutlets to cool completely, then separate the pieces with parchment paper and place them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container. The cutlets can be kept frozen for up to two months.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Easy Chicken Milanese alla Florentine
  • Chicken Parmesan Recipe
  • Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe
  • Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe – Chef Approved

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Chicken Milanese Recipe (13)

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5 from 74 votes

Chicken Milanese

Chicken Milanese is an Italian Classic that's easy to make and can be on your dinner table in less than 30 minutes. Add a side salad to this restaurant-quality dish, and you've got the perfect weeknight meal.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Total Time21 minutes mins

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4

Calories: 430kcal

Equipment

  • large frying pan

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast four – 4-ounce chicken cutlets

Breading Station

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten with ¼ cup milk or water
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup Romano or Parmesan cheese grated
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest one lemon

Cooking

  • ½ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Chicken

  • Place the chicken cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound the chicken until the cutlets are about ¼ inch thick.

    If any of the chicken breasts are thicker than half an inch, use a sharp knife to split the chicken breast in half. Think of it as butterflying the breast. You're just going to cut all the way through to make two cutlets out of one large breast.

Breading Station

  • Mix the flour, salt, and pepper together.

  • Lightly beat the two eggs with ¼ cup of milk or water for the eggwash.

  • Mix panko bread crumbs, romano cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, parsley, and lemon zest together until well blended.

  • Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoned flour. Then place them in the egg wash, and finally in the bread crumb mixture.

    Make sure you get a good coating of each ingredient on the chicken breasts, completely coating them.

Cooking

  • Add ½ cup of vegetable oil to a large frying pan, then place it over medium-high heat.

  • When the oil is hot, carefully place the breaded chicken cutlets into the pan and saute until golden brown (about 3 minutes per side)

    *The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature has reached 165°F.

  • Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pan and place them on a wire rack to drain for one minute.

    If you are cooking in batches and need to keep them warm, set your oven at 225 degrees and keep them on the wire rack in the oven until ready serve.

Notes

*If you’re starting with full-sized boneless skinless chicken breasts rather than the thinner chicken cutlets, split the chicken breast in the middle. This will make two thinner breast portions that are the same size.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 670mg | Potassium: 527mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 388IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

More Chicken Recipes

  • Chick-fil-A Nuggets (Copycat)
  • Baked Curry Chicken Quarters
  • Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
  • Smoked Whole Chicken Recipe

About Chef Dennis

Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home.For more details, check out his About page.

Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Marie

    Hello Chef,
    Is there another option other than frying that I can use to cook these. Would the end result be the same if I were to cook them in the air fryer or oven?
    Also, do I cook them before or after I freeze them? thanks for sharing your culinary skills with us.

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      You can absolutely cook them in the air fryer or oven, they won’t be that much different. Just cook them as you normally would in either of those styles. I would cook them before freezing, but you could do it either way.

      Reply

  2. Twyla Laakso

    Good day Chef! I am looking forward to trying this recipe soon, and intent to freeze some for later use as you suggest.
    Can you please advise the best way to reheat the frozen cooked cutlets so they stay tender inside and crispy outside?
    Thank you so much!
    Twyla

    Reply

    • Chef Dennis Littley

      Defrost the cutlets, then let them come to room temperature. Place the chicken on a wire rack in a 400°F preheated oven and bake the chicken for 12 to 15 minutes.

      Reply

Chicken Milanese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between chicken parmesan and chicken Milanese? ›

What's the Difference Between Chicken Milanese and Chicken Parmesan? Chicken parmesan is made with fried cutlets that are topped with red sauce and cheese, while these Milanese cutlets are served with a simple squeeze of lemon and a little basil oil, if you like.

What's the difference between chicken cutlets and chicken Milanese? ›

While similar to a regular breaded chicken cutlet, the defining characteristic of a Milanesa is its preparation style and seasoning, often including a coating of breadcrumbs and seasoning with herbs and spices.

What is the secret to moist chicken? ›

Brining helps the chicken retain moisture. Marinate the Chicken:Marinate the chicken in a flavorful mixture of herbs, spices, and acidic ingredients like yogurt, buttermilk, or citrus juice. Marinades not only add flavor but can also help tenderize the meat.

What is chicken Milanese made of? ›

What is Chicken Milanese? If you've never heard of Chicken Milanese before – it's a chicken cutlet that's pounded thin, breaded in Panko bread crumbs, and then fried in olive oil. The result is a super crispy, juicy, and flavorful piece of chicken.

Is chicken Milanese the same as chicken piccata? ›

Milanese is a thin, often pounded, piece of boneless chicken (or veal), seasoned with salt and pepper, then breaded… yes, breaded… fried then finished with sautéed mushrooms, wine, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Look…if you add capers…it's piccata…if you bread the chicken…it's Milanese (or Milanesa).

What is the difference between chicken schnitzel and chicken Milanese? ›

All three consist of breaded and fried chicken but the Milanese usually has parmesan in the mix while schnitzels are traditionally made with veal.

Is Milanese the same as schnitzel? ›

The primary difference between the Viennese Schnitzel of Austria and the Cotoletta alla Milanese or Veal Milanese of Italy is the cut of meat. Both are traditionally made from calf and the Milanese comes from the loin with the bone-in, while the schnitzel is without bone and comes from the flank or rump.

Why is it called chicken Milanese? ›

Alla Milanese is Italian for “in the style of Milan” and references meat that is dipped in egg and then coated in breadcrumbs and fried. Milanese is also a dialect of the Italian language.

Is Milanese similar to schnitzel? ›

One of the key differences in these two dishes is that while wiener schnitzel always uses boneless cutlets, Veal Milanese traditionally uses a bone-in cut from the loin, though boneless is still common and acceptable.

Why do people put mayo on chicken before cooking? ›

The mayo will lock in moisture and will improve the browning on the grill, leaving you with delicious, charred grill marks that will take your chicken to the next level. Once you try this mayo marinade you won't grill chicken without it again.

What is the best ingredient to tenderize chicken? ›

Using a marinade is a good way to achieve soft and tender chicken, with plain yogurt or buttermilk being the most commonly used marinades. The two contain acids and enzymes that combine to break the proteins and fiber in the chicken.

Why does mayonnaise keep chicken moist? ›

Mayonnaise makes chicken moist and flavorful

Containing eggs and oil, which are fatty ingredients, mayonnaise helps add a bit of extra fat to the meat, which is mostly cooked off during the process. Moreover, mayonnaise forms a protective barrier that keeps all those tasty juices inside the chicken.

Should chicken Milanese be pink? ›

Pan-fry chicken in batches of 2 or 3 pieces until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 2 to 4 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

What is chicken Milanese called? ›

Due to its shape, it is often called oreggia d'elefant in Milanese or orecchia d'elefante in Italian, meaning 'elephant's ear'. A common variation made with chicken is popular in English-speaking countries and bears the name "chicken Milanese" (Italian: pollo alla milanese).

What Milanese style means? ›

Preparing something Milanese (or Milanesa) style means dredging thin slices of meat in flour, eggs, and seasoned breadcrumbs and frying them. A traditional Milanese dish is a bone-in veal chop pounded until very thin, and then breaded and pan-fried.

What does Milanese mean in food? ›

Preparing something Milanese (or Milanesa) style means dredging thin slices of meat in flour, eggs, and seasoned breadcrumbs and frying them. A traditional Milanese dish is a bone-in veal chop pounded until very thin, and then breaded and pan-fried.

What is the real name for chicken parmesan? ›

Chicken parmesan or chicken parmigiana (Italian: pollo alla parmigiana) is a dish that consists of breaded chicken breast covered in tomato sauce and mozzarella, Parmesan, or provolone cheese. A quantity of ham or bacon is sometimes added.

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