This easy chicken milanese with arugula salad is made with crispy chicken cutlets paired with a lemony arugula salad with shaved Parmesan. It’s the perfect chicken dish for a 30 minute weeknight meal!
Easy Chicken Milanese Recipe with Arugula Salad
I love sharing new and exciting chicken breast recipes! This chicken Milanese recipe is an Italian-inspired simple dish similar to chicken schnitzel but with layers of flavor like chicken marsala.
It’s served with a light and fresh arugula salad drizzled with a bright lemon dressing and topped with shaved Parmesan. I love to make this for a light summer dinner, but with just 5 minutes of prep time and ready to serve in 30 minutes, truth is I make it year round, too.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Easy. Chicken Milanese like my chicken francese is one of those 30-minute dinner ideas that works for quick weeknight meals as well as impressing dinner guests.
- Texture. Pounding the chicken ensures they cook evenly with no need to bake in the oven plus the panko ensures the chicken cutlets turn out extra crispy.
- Versatile. These breaded chicken cutlets are served with a citrusy arugula salad topped with Parmesan shavings, but pair well with mashed potatoes or pasta, too.
Ingredient and Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Chicken breasts: Use about 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts. You’ll cut them both in half to make 4 cutlets.
- Flour: Used as the first layer in the dredging process, a coating of flour helps to absorb excess moisture on the surface of the cutlets and it helps the egg to adhere to the outside.
- Large eggs: This is the second layer. The flour-coated chicken gets dipped in the eggs which acts as an adhesive for the breadcrumbs. All of the layers help keep the inside protected from the hot oil and keep it tender.
- For the breading: Panko (or breadcrumbs), grated Parmesan, fresh chopped parsley, lemon zest, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The final top coat gives it a nice crispy finish, and golden brown color, as well as tons of flavor!
- Olive oil: Used to pan-fry the breasts. Typically fried foods use vegetable oil or canola for their high smoke points, but the flavor in olive oil pairs best with this recipe.
- For the salad: Arugula, Olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano come together to add a vibrant citrusy component to this dish. The shaved sharp cheese adds a layer of sophistication!
How to Make Chicken Milanese
Slice each chicken breast in half to make 4 thin slices. Use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound them to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Set up a dredging station with 3 shallow bowls. The first will have flour, the second, the whisked eggs, and the third, the breadcrumbs and seasoning.
Use a fork or tongs tdip one cutlet into the flour and shake off the excess. Dip the flour-coated cutlet into the egg mixture and allow any excess to drip off.
Press the piece of chicken into the breadcrumb mixture so that the crumbs stick to the outside. Flip it and coat the other side with crumbs as well. Repeat the process.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook 2 breasts at a time for 7-8 minutes, flipping halfway. Once golden brown and cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F, transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate.
Repeat with the remaining chicken. Rest for 5 minutes before slicing and enjoy your chicken Milanese with arugula salad and extra lemon wedges on the side!
How to Make the Arugula Salad
- In a large bowl, toss arugula, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well coated. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano slices. Add tomatoes and basil leaves if desired.
- Serve chicken with salad and lemon slices on the side.
Recipe Tips
- Freshly grated cheese. There are just some recipes worth investing in quality ingredients and chicken Milanese is one of them. Grating your own Parmesan from a wedge and using quality Parmigiano-Reggiano to grate your shavings makes all the difference in flavor!
- Cook your meat in batches. You don’t want to overcrowd your pan, otherwise, the cutlets won’t brown evenly on all sides.
- If you notice the chicken is browning too quickly on the outside, turn down the heat immediately.
- Let the chicken Milanese rest before serving so the juices don’t run out and leave them dry.
Chicken Milanese Serving Suggestions
Any one of these sides would be a great addition to the Italian dish of chicken Milanese!
- You can swap the arugula salad with any salad recipe like chopped salad
- Serve it with a different veggie like roasted asparagus, green beans, or roasted roasted Parmesan broccoli.
- For a starchy side, try roasted potatoes or pasta. Sometimes we’ll skip the traditional side of bread and make it a complete Italian-inspired meal with a side of bruschetta!
Recipe FAQs
This is usually because the temperature of the oil isn’t where it needs to be. The best way to tell is by using a thermometer.
It needs to be hot enough before adding the chicken. If it’s not, the chicken Milanese will soak up too much of the oil as it cooks for even longer.
You also need to remember not to overcrowd the pan. Doing so, lowers the temperature of the oil, resulting in the same issue.
Keep any leftover chicken Milanese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For easy reheating, you can use the microwave, but to get a little crispness back, I recommend using the air fryer or the oven.
More chicken recipes you will love include chicken cordon bleu, chicken florentine, and chicken Madeira.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
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Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad
Video
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour , or almond flour
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup panko
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
- 1 lemon , zested
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil , plus more as needed
Salad
- 2 bunches arugula
- 3-4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon , juiced
- Kosher salt , to taste
- Ground black pepper , to taste
- Parmigiano-Reggiano , thinly shaved
For serving: Lemon slices
Instructions
Chicken
- On a cutting board, slice 2 chicken breasts, lengthwise, into 2 pieces, making 4 pieces total. Cover chicken with plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet, pound evenly to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place 1/2 cup flour in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, whisk 2 eggs together until well beaten.
- In a third shallow dish, stir together 3/4 cup panko, 1/3 cup parmesan, 2 Tablespoons parsley, 1 lemon zest, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Using a fork or tongs, dredge 1 breast in flour and shake off excess. Dip in eggs and gently remove any excess on side of dish. Press lightly in panko mixture until crumbs stick, turn over and repeat. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- In a large, nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, 2 breasts at a time if necessary, and cook 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Reduce temperature slightly if browning too quickly. Flip and continue to cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown and center registers 165°F on a digital thermometer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Salad
- In a large bowl, toss together 2 bunches arugula, 3-4 Tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well coated. Top with Parmigiano-Reggiano slices.
- Serve chicken with salad and lemon slices on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
The Panko topping was so delicious and full of fresh flavor! I need to get better at my pan frying skills and we ended up baking half of the chicken because my skillet had burnt pieces after the first batch, although we all thought the pan fried tasted much better than the baked!
It takes some practice for sure! Glad you enjoyed it, though!
Oh this is a family favorite! Thank you for the simple to follow directions!
This is so perfect for busy nights! So quick and easy to make!