by Pamela Morgan

I’m not embarrassed to admit how much I love chicken. I’ll take any excuse to put it on my lunch or dinner menu! One of my absolute favorite light chicken dishes is chicken Milanese.

While everyone might have their own version of the classic Italian dish, I serve mine as a light and fresh arugula salad on top of a Parmigiano-Reggiano crusted chicken cutlet. It’s a simple but elegant meal that’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner, not to mention fun to prepare. You can even get the kids involved with this one!

This dish is all about texture. You want to have a beautiful golden brown crust on the outside while keeping the inside juicy. I like to toss the arugula with cherry tomatoes, red onion, basil, extra virgin olive oil, lemon and a little bit of salt and pepper. It’s up to you if you want to get creative with any gorgeous produce you come across!

Bright and Crispy Chicken Milanese 

Chicken Milanese has all of those elements that you look for in a warm weather dish, with a crispy, juicy cutlet and a tangy and fresh salad resting right on top. It’s my go-to dish after a trip to the farmers market!

• Prep Time: 10m
• Cook Time: 10m
• Total Time: 20m

• Serves: 4
• Yield: 4 cutlets
• Category: Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 handfuls of arugula, washed and dried
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine arugula, basil, onion, and cherry tomato. Toss gently with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Using 2 separate plates, place the flour in one and a mixture of the breadcrumbs, cheese, salt and pepper in the other. In a shallow bowl, lightly whisk the eggs.
3. Place the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or in a plastic Ziploc bag. Using a meat mallet, lightly pound the chicken until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly, then dip into the beaten eggs, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
4. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Cook chicken until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.
5. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and top with the arugula salad. Squeeze lemon over the whole dish, then drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.