Description
Chicken Milanese is a crispy, golden Italian classic that comes together in just 45 minutes. Lightly breaded and pan-fried, this dish is served with a fresh cherry tomato salad over arugula for the perfect balance of crunch and freshness. Serve with a squeeze of lemon for a bright, flavorful finish!
Ingredients
Arugula and Cherry Tomato Salad:
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 cups), halved
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 sprig fresh basil, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
- 4 handfuls arugula
Chicken:
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt, divided (or to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup Italian-style seasoned dry breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup olive oil (for frying)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
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Prepare the Salad: In a bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, red onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Stir in fresh basil and set aside while you cook the chicken.
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Prepare the Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Place a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Slice each chicken breast into even cutlets.
- In a shallow dish, mix flour with ½ tsp salt and black pepper.
- In another shallow dish, whisk eggs with ¼ tsp salt and black pepper.
- In a third shallow dish, combine panko, seasoned breadcrumbs, Parmesan, lemon zest, and ¼ tsp salt.
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Bread the Chicken:
- Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off excess.
- Dip into the beaten eggs, letting excess drip off.
- Coat with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
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Cook the Chicken:
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Fry two cutlets at a time for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal temp). Adjust heat to prevent burning.
- Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
- Repeat with remaining cutlets.
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Serve: Place a handful of arugula on a plate, top with a crispy chicken cutlet, and spoon the cherry tomato salad over it. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Use a meat mallet to pound chicken evenly for a tender, uniform cutlet.
- Swap arugula for baby spinach if preferred.
- For extra crunch, double-coat the chicken in the breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 636
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 27g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 165mg