I’ve been eating chicken cutlets for as long as I can remember and this is my current favorite recipe. Everyone has their own recipe that they swear by but it truly believe mine is the best. It perfectly utilizes panko breadcrumb for an intense crunch and pecorino romano for a salty, umami punch. Below is a YouTube video that shows the step by step process!
Chicken cutlets are a staple food in almost every Italian American household. They’ve also become an integral component of many other dishes as well. From being the base for chicken parmigania, to filling crispy chicken sandwiches, the chicken cutlet has become one of the most versatile Italian American bases.
Chicken Cutlets (Milanese)
Description
I've been eating chicken cutlets for as long as I can remember and this is my favorite recipe. It perfectly utilizes panko breadcrumb for an intense crunch and pecorino romano for a salty, umami punch.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Making Your Cutlets
Slice each chicken breast into 2 cutlets. Lay a sheet of parchment paper over each cutlet and pound them thin with a meat mallet. The thickness of your cutlets is your personal preference. I prefer my paper thin (you should be able to barely see light shining through them).
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Prepping Your Breading Station
Now it’s time to assemble your breading station. We’re using a 3 stage breading station: flour, egg, breadcrumbs. Pour your all purpose flour into one small tray. Scramble your 3 eggs in another. Finally, mix your panko, seasoned breadcrumbs and pecorino in the last tray.
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Breading Your Cutlets
Drop a cutlet into your flour until it’s nicely coated and shake off the excess. Next, drop your cutlet into your egg dredge and coat evenly. There should be no dry patches of flour. Finally, drop into your breadcrumb mixture. Coat evenly and make sure there are no bare spots. Repeat with all 8 of your cutlets.
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Frying
Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Your oil should cover the bottom half inch of the pan. This is considered a shallow fry. Oil should be between 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit (176-190 degrees Celsius) Once your oil reaches temp, drop in your cutlets. Fry for 3-4 minutes or until the first side is golden brown. Flip then cook for an additional 3-4 minutes on the other side.
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Cooling
Once your cutlets are golden brown, remove them from the oil and place on a cooling rack to drip off excess oil. Let rest for at least 2 minutes to allow the crust to harden.
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Enjoy!
Now its time to dig in! Enjoy them in a sandwich, chopped into a salad, as the base for chicken parm, or just eat them on their own! The possibilities are endless. Buon Appetito!
