5 Dishes to Master: Classic Chicken Milanese
“5 Dishes to Master” returns with Part 4: a Chicken dish! This 5-part series is for someone who hasn’t cooked much, but wants to feel more confident in the kitchen. It’s also for those who love to cook at home and want to do it more often.
Knowing your way around the kitchen in some regard is important. To get you started, Bobby put together 5 recipes (Chicken, Fish, Steak, Pasta, Salad) to set you up for success. They’re all different yet super simple. Part 4 is one of Bobby’s all-time favorite chicken dishes: crispy Chicken Milanese with Arugula, Tomato & Parmigiano. Keep scrolling for the full recipe.
“5 DISHES TO MASTER”
NUMBER 4:
Classic Chicken Milanese with Arugula, Tomato and Parmigiano
Serves 2
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin* (see CHEF TIP below)
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as avocado oil
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
5 basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly shaved into ribbons
2 ounces baby arugula
1 lemon, cut in half, for serving
CHEF TIP:
Place chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment or wax paper. Using the smooth, flat side of a meat mallet (a rolling pin or heavy skillet works well here) pound out the chicken, using medium force and a slight forward motion, until approximately ½ -inch uniform thickness.
1 Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2 Set up the dredging station: place the flour on a large plate; the beaten eggs in a large shallow bowl; followed by the breadcrumbs on a large plate. Season each with salt and pepper and mix to combine.
3 Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Fully dredge the chicken cutlet in the flour first, tapping off the excess. Next, dip each cutlet fully into the egg mixture and let the excess drip off. Finally, dredge the chicken in the breadcrumbs, lightly pressing to help the breadcrumbs to adhere, making sure to coat the chicken evenly on both sides.
4 Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until it begins to shimmer. Carefully place the chicken into the pan and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the chicken over and place the pan into the oven to finish cooking, approximately 4 minutes or so, depending upon the thickness.
5 Meanwhile, combine the cherry tomatoes, basil and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
6 Carefully remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a plate. To assemble, top the chicken with some of the arugula, spoon some tomatoes over top and add some Parmigiano shavings. Serve each chicken with a lemon half to squeeze over top.
