Chicken Milanese

Here’s one of those I-don’t-have-a-clue-what-to-make-but-it-has-to-be-fast dinners. You’ll need boneless skinless chicken breasts (or pork cutlets) on hand, but you likely have all the other ingredients in your cupboard and refrigerator.

As you would suspect from the name, this style of preparing a cutlet comes from Milan, Italy. Over there, menus often feature a giant cutlet of veal Milanese. I usually serve pasta on the side, something simple like pasta with butter, olive oil, garlic and herbs. And you’ll need a vegetable. I like to serve broccoli rabe or broccoli with red pepper flakes and toasted garlic, but eggplant caponata would be a fantastic side for this, or summer vegetables with pesto.

It’s simple and quick, but really tasty and satisfying. A no-brainer of a dinner that’s in the soul food category. Plus, if you decide to make extra, the chicken makes a super sandwich.

photo by Jeffrey Allen

Chicken Milanese

You’ll need three shallow bowls, large skillet and paper towel-lined plate.

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• Several grinds of black pepper
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, basil and/or oregano
  
• 1 to 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin (1/4” to 1/3” thick)
• Olive oil
• Half of a lemon

Combine flour, garlic salt and pepper in a dish. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg. In another dish, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan and the dried herbs.

Cut chicken into palm-sized portions. One at a time, dredge each piece in the flour, then the egg, dripping off the excess, and then coat all sides with the crumb/cheese mixture.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until a breadcrumb sizzles when you drop it in. Add chicken pieces and fry on one side until nicely browned, not burnt or dark brown, but a rich golden brown color. Turn over and fry the other side. As soon as the pieces are done, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately squirt lemon juice all over the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt.