There's just so many incredible things I could say about making chicken Milanese. The crispiness of the chicken, the juiciness and tender texture, the flavor of the paired arugula salad. The list goes on and on. My easy chicken Milanese recipe with arugula salad is the perfect weeknight meal or a jazzed up date night in dinner. Pair with your favorite wine and you're all set.
Breaded chicken cutlets, or a Milanese such as this, is great all year long. It's light, can be prepared a few different ways, and with a pop of peppery arugula on the side, it's a hearty and healthyish meal for anyone to enjoy.
I love chicken recipes so much that aside from my how to make chicken cutlets recipe, as well as my creamy tuscan chicken and francese, this was a necessary addition.
What are the ingredients for this chicken Milanese recipe?
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast - for this recipe I bought already thinly sliced chicken breast and seasoned them with a little salt and pepper before breading.
- Egg - egg helps to bind the breadcrumbs or panko to the chicken.
- Breadcrumbs or Panko - either breading works great for this recipe. I didn't have panko when I made this for the photography, but have tested with panko (even a gluten free version!) and it comes out fantastic each time.
- Arugula - peppery greens are an excellent side dish or salad to go with the fried chicken cutlet.
- Lemon - a little acid goes a long way to balance out the dish.
- Parmesan Cheese - sharp, tangy flavor to compliment the arugula and the lemony flavors.
- Salt and Pepper - I added a touch extra salt and pepper to the salad for a little more flavor. Not necessary if you'd like to omit.
- Olive Oil - you'll need olive oil to fry the chicken cutlets in the pan, and use for the drizzle in the arugula salad.
See the recipe card below for specific information about quantities.
What is chicken Milanese?
When making Milanese, it's simply dipping the chicken (or veal) into an egg, flour, breadcrumb or panko mixture and frying until golden and crispy. Milanese is traditionally made with a pounded Veal bone-in chop, but as we see in this recipe, chicken works just as great, and tastes amazing too! Essentially this is a breaded chicken cutlet, but with a fancy name and a delicious salad on the side.
How do I make this chicken recipe?
Step 1: Prepare the chicken by cracking and whisking eggs in a large bowl, and dipping the chicken into the egg. Then, press the chicken into the breadcrumbs on both sides until well coated. Repeat for all chicken, then set aside.
Step 2: Place the chicken into the olive oil-coated pan on a medium heat and fry until golden brown on each side, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside on a cooling rack with parchment underneath to catch any dripping oil.
Step 3: In a large bowl, add 2 cups of arugula.
Step 4: To the arugula, squeeze a half of a lemon and sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Step 5: Drizzle olive oil into the arugula.
Step 6: Last, add in a few shavings of parmesan cheese and toss to combine all ingredients.
HINT: Using the cooling rack will omit the chicken from getting soggy as it dries on paper towel. You could use paper towel if needed, but the cooling rack works great.
Recipe Swaps and Substitutions
Here are some of my recommendations for this recipe if you're looking to make it fit your own dietary needs:
- Breading - you can definitely use a gluten-free breadcrumb or panko for this recipe if you need/want to.
- Egg - the egg is essential here, but to make the chicken extra crispy, you can also do a flour dipping too. Dip the chicken into the flour, then into the egg, then into the breading. Fry as directed.
- Salad - the arugula is a classic pairing for this, but you can swap this for a mesclun salad, simple romaine, or even my delicious caesar pasta salad!
- Parmesan - for the salad, if you cannot or do not eat dairy, you can find your own dairy-free alternative to parmesan cheese, or omit entirely.
Ways to serve this recipe
I love this recipe for a quick weeknight dinner, but other ways to serve include:
- Hosting for a large family gathering. Make a large batch of the salad and the chicken and serve a la carte.
- Leftovers are awesome as a lunch.
- Serve the chicken and the salad together in a wrap for a handheld, on-the-go option. Think of this as a gourmet snack wrap.
- Cut up the chicken into bite size pieces and serve in the arugula salad itself instead of on the side.
Storage and Freezer Suggestions
To Store: Place any remaining chicken Milanese in an airtight container and use up within 4 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze any chicken cutlets by placing them in a ziplock bag , labeling when they were made and reheating instructions. Use within 3 months.
Reheating: Preheat the oven to 325º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thaw the chicken in the fridge overnight. Place the thawed chicken Milanese on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Hungry for more?
Looking for other tasty chicken dishes like this Milanese? Here's some to try!
Did you like this recipe? Share it!
If you're just as in love with this recipe as I am, please share a comment below and rate it! Better yet, share this recipe with family and friends!! Thank you for being here!!
Easy Chicken Milanese Recipe with Arugula Salad
Equipment
- cutting board
- frying pan
- vegetable peeler/grater
- tongs
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast thinly sliced
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup olive oil for frying
For the Arugula Salad
- 2 cups baby arugula
- ½ whole lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup shaved parmesan
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Prepare the chicken by cracking and whisking eggs in a large bowl, and dipping the chicken into the egg. Then, press the chicken into the breadcrumbs on both sides until well coated. Repeat for all chicken, then set aside.
- Place the chicken into the olive oil-coated pan on a medium heat and fry until golden brown on each side, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside on a cooling rack with parchment underneath to catch any dripping oil.
For the Arugula Salad
- In a large bowl, add 2 cups of arugula.
- To the arugula, squeeze a half of a lemon and sprinkling of salt and pepper.
- Drizzle olive oil into the arugula.
- Last, add in a few shavings of parmesan cheese and toss to combine all ingredients.
Brian Hart Hoffman
Amazing! Fabulous! Will make over and over!!!!!