Chicken Milanese Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Chicken Milanese are bashed-out chicken breasts (cutlets) that are coated in parmesan cheese & breadcrumbs before being fried until golden.

This recipe is delightfully simple and really quick to cook too, preparation should take no more than 15 minutes and it will cook in under 10 minutes.

Pollo Milanese Fried Breaded Chicken Breasts

Thinly sliced meat coated with breadcrumbs is a well-trodden path and one that I adore.

Dishes like Austrian Wiener schnitzel, Japanese Tonkatsu and Polish kotlet Schabowy all share a similar food “DNA”.

The latest addition to this style of cooking on my site is Italian-influenced chicken Milanese. Fried breaded chicken breast cutlets that rock parmesan cheese and fresh parsley in the crumb.

Just like all fried cutlet recipes, this dish is quick, but you do have to get your hands dirty and will take 10-15 minutes!

However, cooking pollo Milanese is very quick and will take you no more than 10 minutes!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs?

Yes, I would use two chicken thighs per serving, they offer a marginally better flavour than chicken breast.

They are a little more awkward to bash flat and will have a few gaps and holes. This makes them a little more tricky to crumb evenly and as a result, they tend to absorb a little more oil.

Can I crumb the chicken in advance?

Yes and no!

For the very best results, you should crumb them just before frying because you get a much crisper coating.

However, it is not catastrophic to crumb them up to an hour in advance, they will still crisp up and be tasty.

I don’t have a thermometer, how can I check the temperature of the oil?

The best way to do this is to take a slice of bread, take a small piece (1cm ½” square) and drop it into the oil.

You are looking for bubbles to form almost immediately and for it to begin to go golden after 10-15 seconds or so.

If you do not get the bubbles forming immediately the oil is too cold and your cutlets will be very greasy. If the bread goes golden very quickly, the crumb will be ready before the chicken is cooked.

I don’t have a large pan, can I batch-fry this?

Yes, as the cooking time is very quick you can get away with doing this in two batches.

I would preheat an oven to 150°C or 300°F. Once the first batch of chicken has come out of the oven place it on a cooling grid over a baking tray, then keep it warm whilst you cook the second batch.

Serving Suggestions

I spent 13 years living in Hungary and for some strange reason, breaded fried chicken cutlets were always served with a side of pasta in tomato sauce.

I have mentioned several times that pasta as a side really isn’t my thing. However, I think that our food inconsistencies make us who we are.

So yes, I love chicken Milanese with a side of tomato pasta, and there are plenty to choose from. You could opt for a very simple spaghetti pomodoro, add a little bacon and chilli to the tomato pasta, or even play with the ideas behind pasta arrabbiata.

Those of you with a keen eye will notice that I have not gone down that route with this pollo Milanese recipe!

I have served it with fagioli all’uccalletto in the pictures on this page, which are essentially Italian(ish) baked beans. Yes, this is basically massive chicken nuggets with baked beans and I LOVE it!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• 35cm or 14″ frying pan.
• Kitchen tongs and a spatula or fish slice.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Cling film.
• Rolling pin.
• Bowls and plates to bread the chicken.
• Grater.
• A thermometer to check the temperature of the oil, I use a sugar thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer you can eyeball it using a little bread to help (see FAQ section for hints).