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It takes just 30 minutes to crisp up restaurant-quality Chicken Milanese and toss together a bright and citrusy arugula salad. This Italian chicken recipe is a company-worthy meal you can totally ace, even on a hectic weeknight.
A simple breaded and fried chicken cutlet spans many different cultures. There’s Japanese katsu, Latin American milanesa, German schnitzel, and all of the contenders in the fast food spicy chicken sandwich wars, to name a few.
This Chicken Milanese recipe is the Italian version, and it’s so easy (30 minutes easy!) and so flavorful.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Chicken breast cutlets: Most grocery stores stock chicken cutlets, but if you can’t find them, set the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board. Working with one breast at a time, place your palm on top of the breast and slice it in half horizontally, cutting all the way through. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Panko: Find these extra crispy Japanese bread flakes in boxes or canisters at most major grocery stores or Asian markets. Or, you can make your own bread crumbs.
- Parmesan cheese: This is one case when it’s best to invest in a wedge of cheese rather than buying it pre-grated. You’ll grate some fresh for the coating; it melts marvelously without the anti-caking agents often added to pre-shredded cheeses. Then you’ll use a vegetable peeler to slice off thin strips for the arugula salad.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Top with a wire rack coated with nonstick spray or olive oil. Cover a cutting board completely with a piece of plastic wrap. Arrange chicken cutlets in a single layer on the plastic wrap-covered cutting board. Cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 1/4-inch using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin. Remove top layer of plastic wrap and season breasts with salt and pepper. slice in half horizontally so you have two cutlets. Repeat with the second breast.
- In a shallow dish, add flour. In a second shallow dish, add eggs and beat lightly. In a third shallow dish, combine panko, grated Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour and shake off excess. Dip in eggs and tap gently on side of dish to remove excess. Add to panko mixture and press gently until crumbs adhere. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with remaining cutlets (cutlets can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours).
- Line rimmed baking sheet or large plate with 3 layers of paper towels. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1 cup oil until shimmering. Add 2 cutlets and fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Drain cutlets well on paper towel-lined plate and transfer to prepared wire rack in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 cutlets.
- To serve: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss arugula salad with vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan. Serve chicken with salad, passing lemon wedges separately.
What is the best meat tenderizer?
To get your chicken super flat and tender for cooking, I love using the Oxo Steel Meat Tenderizer! It’s my top choice in my roundup of the best meat tenderizers and the one I personally use for cooking and in my test kitchen. You can get it for $16.80 at Amazon.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This Chicken Milanese makes four (4-ounce) portions of the crispy chicken, plus four side salads.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The cutlets can be pounded out, breaded, and stored covered in the refrigerator one day in advance. Unfortunately, they cannot easily be frozen and then reheated in a pan or oven.
- Pick your protein: Just as with schnitzel, you could also follow these exact same instructions to bread and pan-fry pork cutlets. Or try thinly-pounded steak for an Italian-inspired twist on another Midwestern favorite, chicken-fried steak.
- Select your salad: I love the way peppery arugula, tart lemon juice, and zippy Dijon mustard team up to cut through the richness of the crispy Chicken Milanese. But feel free to choose any vegetable salad or side dish you prefer and have ingredients to make. My Mediterranean Chopped Salad, Panzanella, Roasted Green Beans, and Farro Salad with Peas and Feta would also be brilliant partners for this Italian entree.
More 30-minute meals
Italian Recipes
Chicken Scallopini
30 Minute Meals
Chicken Vesuvio
Fish and Seafood Recipes
Pan-Fried Tilapia
30 Minute Meals
Easy Goulash
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Chicken Milanese
It takes just 30 minutes to crisp up restaurant-quality Chicken Milanese and toss together a bright and citrusy arugula salad. This Italian chicken recipe is a company-worthy meal you can totally ace, even on a hectic weeknight.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 16 ounces chicken breast cutlets (see note 1)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs (see note 2)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 1 cup olive oil
For serving:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1/8 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces baby arugula (4 cups)
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese shaved with a vegetable peeler (about ¼ cup)
- Lemon wedges (from 2 lemons)
Instructions
To make the chicken:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Top with a wire rack coated with nonstick spray or olive oil.
- Cover a cutting board completely with a piece of plastic wrap. Arrange chicken cutlets in a single layer on the plastic wrap-covered cutting board. Cover with a second piece of plastic wrap. Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness, about 1/4-inch. Remove top layer of plastic wrap and season breasts with salt and pepper.
- In a shallow dish, add flour. In a second shallow dish, add eggs and beat lightly. In a third shallow dish, combine panko, grated Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
- Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour and shake off excess. Dip in eggs and tap gently on side of dish to remove excess. Add to panko mixture and press gently until crumbs adhere. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with remaining cutlets (cutlets can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours).
- Line rimmed baking sheet or large plate with 3 layers of paper towels. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1 cup oil until shimmering. Add 2 cutlets and fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
- Drain cutlets well on paper towel-lined plate and transfer to prepared wire rack in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 2 cutlets.
To serve:
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss arugula salad with vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan. Serve chicken with salad, passing lemon wedges separately.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Chicken breast cutlets: Most grocery stores stock chicken cutlets, but if you can’t find them, set the chicken breasts flat on a cutting board. Working with one breast at a time, place your palm on top of the breast and slice it in half horizontally, cutting all the way through. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Panko: Find these extra crispy Japanese bread flakes in boxes or canisters at most major grocery stores or Asian markets. Or you can make your own bread crumbs.
- Parmesan cheese: This is one case when it’s best to invest in a wedge of cheese rather than buying it pre-grated. You’ll grate some fresh for the coating; it melts marvelously without the anti-caking agents often added to pre-shredded cheeses. Then you’ll use a vegetable peeler to slice off thin strips for the arugula salad.
- Yield: This Chicken Milanese makes four (4-ounce) portions of the crispy chicken, plus four side salads.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: The cutlets can be pounded out, breaded, and stored covered in the refrigerator one day in advance. Unfortunately, they cannot easily be frozen and then reheated in a pan or oven.
- Pick your protein: Just as with schnitzel, you could also follow these exact same instructions to bread and pan-fry pork cutlets. Or try thinly-pounded steak for an Italian-inspired twist on another Midwestern favorite, chicken-fried steak.
- Select your salad: I love the way peppery arugula, tart lemon juice, and zippy Dijon mustard team up to cut through the richness of the crispy Chicken Milanese. But feel free to choose any vegetable salad or side dish you prefer and have ingredients to make. My Mediterranean Chopped Salad, Panzanella, Roasted Green Beans, and Farro Salad with Peas and Feta would also be brilliant partners for this Italian entree.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cutlet with saladCalories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 36gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 570mgPotassium: 606mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1103IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 326mgIron: 2mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Loved this recipe! So quick and easy!! So delicious!!! My husband asked for it and I found this recipe, he was a very happy man and my son and mother in law loved it too! Will definitely be making this again!! Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Irene! I’m so happy it was delicious and it made a great meal all around! – Meggan
This was fantastic! It is a pretty involved recipe, so I likely won’t make it again on a weeknight, but it would be perfect when I have more time for prep on the weekends. I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfectly! Chicken was juicy and crisp and the salad was delicious. The fresh lemon really helped balance the fried chicken. I will definitely make again!
I’m so glad you loved it, Hannah! Thank you for taking the time to comment. – Meggan
Great and easy to follow recipe. The whole family loved it!
Thank you so much, Rachel! I’m glad it was a hit! – Meggan
Refreshing and light. One of my favorite summer dishes. The textures and flavors of this recipe are spot on. I like to add diced heirloom tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic reduction to really set it off. Truly restaurant quality!
Thank you so much for the lovely comment, Suzanne! – Meggan
Thanks for sharing this. How long do we leave in the oven at 200 degrees?
Thanks!
David
Hi David, you’re so welcome! It would be just for the time it takes to cook the other two cutlets so they stay warm. I hope you love them! – Meggan
what is the best way to reheat the next day after cooked?
Hi Karen, thank you for your question! I would place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Allow to come to room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 degrees. Bake until thoroughly warmed and they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 15 minutes. Take care! – Meggan
Typo in Step 3. “Working with one cutlet at a tie”
Hi Steve, thank you so much! I’ve fixed it. Take care! – Meggan
Made this for the 1st time and it was a huge hit! Quick, easy and delicious! 😋 Will definitely be part of my regular rotation!
Hi Jaime! Thank you so much! I’m glad you liked it! :) -Meggan
This is amazing! It’s now part of our rota.
Hi K! I’m am SO happy you loved this! Take care! – Meggan
I so appreciate the pro-tip of keeping the cutlets warm in the oven on the wire rack. Such an important detail most recipes leave out. Thanks for being fabulous. Small point: if you want to print the recipe and then change the number of servings, the 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper for the panko doesn’t adjust. Consider moving the salt/pepper into the ingredient list so that it’s quantities adjust as well. Keep on rockin’ y’all!
I don’t understand why so you have to preheat the oven for 200 degrees when you don’t use it.
Hi D, the oven is heated to keep the 2 cooked chicken cutlets warm while the other two are cooked. I hope this helps! Take care! – Meggan
This was very delicious! I halved to make 2 cutlets with one chicken breast and it turned out very well. I did not make the salad part of the recipe and instead served with turmeric roasted cauliflower. Will definitely be making again!
Wow Debbie, that sounds amazing. So glad you enjoyed, thanks! – Meggan
Came out great/ will go into the regular rotation. Only change was to double the lemon/ olive oil drizzle
This looks tasty! Have you attempted baking this recipe (turning 1/2 way through cooking process)? I’m really curious before I attempt. Thank you for your outstanding ideas!
The best recipe. Thank you very much. CC Landau
Hi CC, thank you! – Meggan
Found this recipe awhile back … I make it frequently for us and for others! Its always a HUGE hit! Tasty and easy!
I wanted to know where did you get your plates? They are beautiful
Hi Sayrui, sorry for the delay in my response! I had to reach out to my photographer to find out where he got the plates. He thinks they are from MMclay Ceramics in San Francisco. Here’s a link: https://www.mmclay.com/
Good luck! Thanks! -Meggan
This looks so incredible, I can’t even handle it.