Last evening I satisfied a craving I’ve had for fried chicken with a much lighter meal of Chicken Milanese.
Milanesa refers to a lightly pounded beef or chicken fillet that has been gently dredged in flour, dipped in egg, and then dredged again in breadcrumbs before sauteeing to a golden crispness. This is a popular preparation in many Latin American countries as well as Italy, Mexico and the U.S., lending itself to many varied dishes.
To streamline the breading process which is an important step in making this dish I offer the following advice…
Set up a standard breading procedure in 3 wide deep plates. I like to use pyrex 10 inch glass pie pans. Fill 1 with flour, 1 with the beaten eggs, and 1 with the panko and grated cheese. Season the chicken breasts with salt. Using one hand for dry things and 1 hand for wet things, take each piece of chicken through the breading procedure: dredge lightly in the flour, then the egg wash and then through the bread crumbs. Lay the breaded chicken on a sheet tray and refrigerate for about an hour if time allows.
Chicken Milanese (adapted from Parmesan Chicken, Ina Garten)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¼ inch thickness
1 cup flour (I used white rice flour because it crisps so well)
2 large or extra large eggs, beaten lightly with 1 tablespoon of water
1 and ½ cups of panko bread crumbs
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese plus additional for serving
Unsalted butter
Extra Virgin olive oil for frying
Salad greens and sliced cucumbers for 4 (your choice of greens, but a mesclun mix or arugula would be great…I had romaine so I went with it…cucumbers are optional)
Lemon Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Pound the chicken breasts with a smooth mallet between 2 sheets of waxed paper on a cutting board.
Combine flour, salt and pepper in one dish or pie plate.
Beat eggs lightly with 1 tablespoon water in second dish.
Combine panko crumbs and grated cheese in third dish.
Coat chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into egg mixture letting the excess drip off before dredging both sides in panko mixture, pressing lightly. Refrigerate if time allows.
When ready to cook, heat 1-2 tablespoons of butter and enough oil to to cover ½ inch in a large saute pan.
Cook 2 fillets at a time on medium-low to medium for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until crisp and cooked through. The pan should sizzle when you add the chicken if it is at the right temperature. Do not allow the butter to burn. If need be, wipe pan clean with a paper towel before continuing with the next batch.
Toss the salad greens with the Lemon Vinaigrette.
Mound salad on top of hot chicken breast and serve with extra cheese.
Lemon Vinaigrette
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
½ cup good olive oil
½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough of the dressing on the greens to moisten. Toss well and check for seasoning.