Super simple and light, this Crispy Chicken Milanese features a bright citrusy arugula salad piled on top of deliciously crispy chicken and smothered in freshly shaved parmesan cheese.
Chicken Milanese is one of those great dishes that is simple to prepare, perfectly balanced, and impressive enough to serve to company. The beauty of this dish lies in its balance of flavours. The chicken is crunchy and savoury with richness from the pan frying, the salad is light, fresh and tangy from the lemons, and the shavings of parmesan add an extra salty punch that rounds out the whole experience. Each component is delicious in its own right but together they elevate this dish into the sublime. Make sure to get a bit of everything in each bite!
Ingredient Notes for Crispy Chicken Milanese
Chicken Breasts: This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Some recipes suggest pounding a whole chicken breast thin before breading and pan frying it. This certainly works but it makes for a fairly large piece of chicken! I like to cut the chicken breasts in half, slicing them horizontally, before lightly pounding them to an even thickness. This way people can decide how much they want to eat without having to cut pieces in half.
Panko breadcrumbs: This is my preferred bread crumb for this recipe. Panko crumbs have a lightness to them that helps keep the chicken cutlets light. Plus, they’re super crunchy!
Parmesan cheese: This recipe calls for two kinds of parmesan cheese. Fresh parmesan is a must for shaving over the top the finished dish. But I also like adding some grated parmesan to the bread crumb mixture. Why pass up an opportunity to add more flavor?
Arugula: Traditional Chicken Milanese is topped with an arugula salad and I do love its peppery flavor. However, I have been making this for many years and topping it with many different kinds of mixed greens. Arugula is tasty but not necessary so pick your favorite kind of salad greens!
Lemons: The salad that sits atop this gloriously crispy chicken is very lightly dressed with a super simple lemon vinaigrette. I love that punch of acid it brings to the whole dish, balancing out the heaviness of the cutlet.
How to Make Crispy Chicken Milanese
First, prepare your chicken. I prefer to cut the chicken breasts in half. Make sure to use a sharp chef’s knife. I usually cut the tender off and bread that separately, but you can leave it on.
Place the chicken breast on the cutting board with the thick end facing the direction you will be cutting from. Press down firmly on the breast with your hand keeping your fingers stretched out flat and not curved downwards. Using a chef’s knife cut into the middle of the thickest part of the breast and work the knife through breast horizontally. Take your time and really press down firmly on the breast, this will help the breast stay in one place and make your cutting easier.
Once you have sliced all of the chicken in half, lightly pound the pieces so that they are relatively even in thickness. Place one piece of chicken on a cutting board, cover with a piece of saran wrap, and lightly pound it flat with a mallet or heavy rolling pin. You will notice that the top slices of the breast, which have a smooth surface, are firmer and harder to pound thin. But the bottom slices are very fragile so just a few light taps should even them out. If you have cut off the tenders you can lightly pound them flat as well.
Next, set up a standard breading station. You will need three shallow containers. Add your flour plus a good sprinkle of kosher salt to the first container. Whisk together your eggs, water, and another good sprinkle of kosher salt for the second container. Combine the panko crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, and the dried oregano and basil in the third container.
To bread the chicken, I find it easiest to designate a dry hand and a wet hand. Pick up a chicken cutlet with your wet hand and lay it in the flour. Use your dry hand to sprinkle the flour over top and dredge the chicken in flour. Shake off the excess and then lay it in the egg mixture. Use your wet hand to flip the chicken over so both sides are coated in the egg and then lift it up and let the excess egg drain off. Lay the chicken in the bread crumb mixture and then use your dry hand to spread crumbs over the top of the chicken. Lightly press down on the chicken, then lift it up and shake the excess off. This is the best way to keep relatively clean hands while breading!
Transfer all of the chicken to a baking sheet lined with parchment. You can bread the chicken ahead of time. Store covered and layered between parchment in the fridge until you are ready to pan fry. I wouldn’t make them more than one day ahead.
To pan fry, heat a quarter inch layer of vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot carefully lay in two or three of the cutlets. They should take about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cook until golden brown on both sides. If your cutlet is thin, then the chicken should be done when both sides are brown. Remove from the skillet and place on a rack or paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle each cutlet with a pinch of kosher salt.
You can keep the chicken warm in a low oven until all the cutlets are pan fried. If the chicken isn’t quite cooked but the breading is nicely browned, then transfer the baking sheet to the oven and continue to bake until the chicken is fully cooked.
While the chicken is cooking, make the dressing. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil then add a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper. Pour over the arugula or salad greens and toss.
When the chicken is done, you can plate your dish! To serve Crispy Chicken Milanese, place one or two pieces of chicken on a plate. Top with a pile of dressed greens and a healthy shaving of parmesan and enjoy!
Serving & Pairing Suggestions
This is a super light dish, and it doesn’t really need a side dish at all. But if you want a fuller meal, then try a small serving of pasta to round out the dish. One of my favourite side dishes to pair with Crispy Chicken Milanese is my Gnocchi in Dandelion Pesto Cream Sauce. The creamy richness of the gnocchi adds a nice balance to the crispy and tangy Chicken Milanese.
In terms of wine pairing, Crispy Chicken Milanese can present a bit of a challenge given the salad component. A higher acid wine like Sauvignon Blanc or even a Pinot Gris would work well. I recently enjoyed this dish with a Pinot Gris from Laughing Stock Vineyards in Penticton, BC – in my personal opinion, Laughing Stock never disappoints. Or to go in another direction you could pair this dish with a light red wine such as a Pinot Noir.
More Chicken Recipes
If you loved this crispy chicken with fresh greens, try my Chicken Thighs with Creamy Lemon Swiss Chard. It’s another great springtime chicken recipe just bursting with fresh flavours.
