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Christina said, “Fabulous! My family loved it. I have made Milanese before with regular breadcrumbs, but this was next level. I love your recipes!”
If you’re looking to elevate your usual weeknight dinner, this classic Chicken Milanese is a true crowd pleaser. Thin, crispy chicken cutlets get pan-fried until golden, then finished in the oven to keep them light and never greasy. The best part? A bright, delicate fennel salad on top that transforms this from simple comfort food into a restaurant-worthy meal!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and simple: Perfect for busy weeknights, but trust me, I’ve served this countless times when entertaining!
- Kid-friendly: Even picky eaters love crispy chicken cutlets!
- Flavorful and light: Thanks to minimal oil and a fresh fennel salad, every bite is balanced and eats lighter than expected.
If you’re a fan of this recipe, be sure to try my crispy chicken schnitzel or pecan-crusted chicken cutlets next! Or check out all of my restaurant-worthy dinner recipes for more inspiration!
*This post was sponsored by Little Leaf Farms. All opinions are my own. I only support and promote brands that I believe in and use in my own kitchen – I hope you’ll check them out! Thank you for supporting the brands that make Well Seasoned possible.
What Is Chicken Milanese?
Also referred to as chicken milanesa, this Italian-inspired dish features thin cuts of meat (in our case, chicken, but crispy pork milanese is fantastic too!) that are lightly breaded and pan-fried. Unlike some heavier fried dishes, Chicken Milanese typically uses less oil, so it feels less greasy, if at all. After a short sear in the skillet, the chicken finishes in the oven until fully cooked–crisp on the outside, tender on the inside!
Ingredients For Chicken Milanese
You’ll want a fennel bulb (plus the fronds—don’t toss them!) for that crisp, slightly anise flavor in the salad. Have some flour on hand to dredge the chicken, along with a couple of beaten eggs to help panko breadcrumbs stick.
Mix freshly grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino) and finely chopped sage right into the panko for extra flavor. Season everything with salt and pepper, then grab chicken cutlets.
For cooking, you’ll need a bit of canola or vegetable oil to pan-fry, plus some high-quality olive oil to dress the fennel and a handful of tender greens (like Little Leaf Farm’s Sweet Baby Butter Lettuce). Don’t forget lemon wedges for brightness and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top for the perfect finishing touch!
If you have larger boneless, skinless chicken breasts, simply flatten them with a meat mallet to speed up cooking, just like cutlets. Place each breast between folded plastic wrap on a cutting board, then gently pound to about ½ inch thickness.
Step-by-Step: How To Bread Chicken Cutlets
The process for breading and pan frying anything — whether it’s chicken cutlets, fried goat cheese balls, or arancini — follows the same steps:
- Set up a dredging station: Season flour with kosher salt and pepper in one bowl, beat eggs in another, and combine panko with parmesan and chopped sage in a third.
- Flour the chicken: Lightly coat each chicken cutlet in seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- Dip in beaten eggs: Make sure each piece of chicken is fully coated.
- Press into panko mixture: Firmly pat the breadcrumbs on all sides to ensure they stick.
The pans above are a breading set I purchased years ago from Williams Sonoma. They make breading chicken cutlets incredibly easy. You can achieve the same breading station setup by using ⅛” sheet pans!
How To Cook Chicken Cutlets
- Pan fry: Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add breaded chicken cutlets. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
- Finish in the oven: Transfer cutlets to a baking sheet (ideally with a rack on top) and finish cooking in a 350°F oven for about 6-8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Season: As soon as the chicken comes out of the oven, sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
I recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
Pro Tip: Cooking for a crowd? After pan-frying each batch, place them on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. This ensures the chicken stays crispy (via air circulation) while the remaining cutlets cook.
The Fennel Salad
While arugula is a classic pairing with Chicken Milanese, this light fennel salad truly sets this recipe apart. Thinly slice the fennel (soak in ice water for 10 minutes to tame its flavor), then toss with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Combine with tender Sweet Baby Butter Leaf lettuce, and top each chicken cutlet with a handful of the fresh, bright salad. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice — perfection!
Serving Suggestions
Side dishes like roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, or couscous pair nicely without too much extra work. If I’m craving extra veggies on top of the salad, oven-roasted broccoli or broccolini are the dishes I turn to again and again on busy weeknights.
If you happen to have leftovers, the cutlets are fantastic when added into sandwiches! Or you can freeze them. To do so, place the cooled chicken cutlets in an airtight container and freeze. Reheat in an 350°F oven until warm and crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Always dress the salad greens fresh to keep them crisp.
Wine Pairings
White Wine: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc (like a Sancerre) or a lush Viognier pairs beautifully with fennel’s mild licorice notes.
Red Wine: A fruit-forward medium-bodied Pinot Noir complements the flavors of both the chicken and the fresh fennel salad. I’m currently loving Pinot Noirs from the Sebastopol Hills region!
Enjoy this crisp, golden Chicken Milanese as a lighter twist on classic Italian breaded cutlets. Between the crunchy panko coating, savory sage and parmesan, and that refreshing fennel salad on top, this one is guaranteed to become a new family favorite!
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Crispy Chicken Milanese with Fennel Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, fronds reserved
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4-6 chicken cutlets
- 3 Tbsp high quality olive oil, divided
- 3 cups Little Leaf Farms Sweet Baby Butter Lettuce
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
- flaky sea salt
- light neutral oil, for frying
Instructions
- Cut the fennel. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut the stems and fronds off the fennel (reserve ¼ cup of the fronds), then discard any bruised outer layers. Cut the fennel bulb in half lengthwise, then using a paring knife cut out the tough part of the core (you essentially cut a small triangle shape to remove). Thinly slice the fennel into ¼" thick half moons, then place in a bowl of ice water.
- Set up the breading stations with 3 pans. In a small, shallow container or bowl, combine 1 cup AP flour with 1 Tbsp Kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. In the second pan, whisk 3 eggs. In the final pan or container, combine 1½ cups panko, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 2 Tbsp chopped sage, and remaining 1 Tbsp Kosher salt.
- Preheat oil. Heat a few tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. The amount of oil will depend on the size of the pan you use — you need an even layer on the bottom of the pan that goes up approximately ⅛" – ¼" up the side.
- Dredge cutlets in flour. Place cutlets one at a time in the flour mixture, coating on both sides, then shaking off any excess flour. Move chicken to the eggs, turning to coat on all sides, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, transfer the cutlets to the panko breadcrumbs, being sure to evenly coat on all sides.
- Pan fry the cutlets. When the oil is hot, carefully place breaded chicken in the oil (working in batches, as needed) and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown, but not burned.
- Finish in the oven. Move pan to the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked through. Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F (75°C), but you can remove it from the oven when it’s reached ~155°F (70°C) — it will continue to cook while it rests. If you're cooking more chicken cutlets than will fit in the skillet, transfer to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet, then finish in the oven.
- Make the salad. While chicken is resting, drain the fennel, then add to a large mixing bowl with salad greens and 1-2 Tbsp high quality olive oil. Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper, then toss well.
- Finish and serve. Plate the chicken cutlets, then sprinkle each with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Mound the fennel salad atop chicken, then garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- To freeze: pre-cook the breaded chicken cutlets, let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in your freezer until needed. Will last up to 3 months.
- To reheat: simply place frozen breaded chicken milanese on a baking sheet and heat at 350F until warmed up and crispy again, about 10-12 minutes. Do NOT toss fennel and mixed greens until just before serving!
- Gluten free: while this chicken milanese recipe is not gluten free, you could substitute gluten free panko breadcrumbs in place of traditional.
- Variations on milanese: other common meats include veal cutlets or pork cutlets.
Nutrition
This chicken milanese recipe was originally posted in fall of 2017 and has since been updated with tips, tricks, and new photos to make it easier to follow along at home!
The perfect weeknight meal! Now will you come make this for me?! 😉
OBVIOUSLY. What are you serving for dessert?!
Best. Chicken. Ever.
I want to eat this every night, forever.
The fennel salad was magical and the perfect accompaniment.
Make this. And then make it again.
🧡🧡🧡
Omg, right?! That crunch! The salad! It all just works. Cheers for delicious chicken recipes!! xo, Ari
This recipe is a WOW! Easy to prep and make, the fennel side is incredibly crunchy and refreshing to eat with the crispy seasoned chicken. Love all of Ali’s recipes and have made this a few times already.
Thank you thank you, Sanchia!! It’s one of my family’s absolute favorites too!! xo, Ari
Fabulous! My family loved it. I have made Milanese before with regular breadcrumbs, but this was next level.
I love your recipes!
The panko + parmesan combo is unbeatable!! xo, Ari