Chicken Milanese Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts. Place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a large zip-top bag and gently pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch (this yields a thin cutlet similar to milanese).

Set up breading station

Place the flour in a shallow dish and season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth. In a third shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; mix well.

Bread the cutlets

Working one at a time, dredge each pounded chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Dip into the egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides evenly. Set breaded cutlets on a rack to rest for 10 minutes to help the coating adhere.

Heat fat

In a large, heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless) add about 1/2 cup of oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Heat over medium-high until shimmering and the butter foams but does not brown (oil temperature around 350°F/175°C). You want enough fat to come up about 1/4 inch on the skillet surface to shallow-fry the cutlets.

Cook cutlets

Carefully add 1-2 cutlets to the pan without crowding. Fry 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 160°F–165°F. Adjust heat as needed so the coating browns but does not burn. Transfer cooked cutlets to a wire rack set over a sheet pan and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you cook remaining cutlets, adding additional oil and 1 tablespoon butter as needed between batches.

Finish

When all cutlets are cooked, squeeze lemon over each just before serving.

Toss the arugula in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until lightly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Scatter shaved Parmesan over the top if using. Keep the dressed salad loosely covered and serve immediately alongside the chicken so greens remain crisp.

If making oven frites

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut russet potatoes into 1/3–1/2 inch sticks; soak in cold water 20–30 minutes to remove excess starch, then drain and pat completely dry. Toss with 1 tablespoon neutral oil, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and optional 1/4 tsp paprika. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 25–35 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Keep warm in the oven with the cooked cutlets.

If frying frites (faster crisp)

Heat 1–2 inches of neutral oil in a heavy pot to 325°F (160°C). Fry potatoes in batches 3–4 minutes until tender but not browned; remove and drain. Increase oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry potatoes a second time 1–2 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and season immediately with fine sea salt.