Christopher Rangel
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Cheesy Chicken Milanese

This was the other dish that we made the first time that we made dinner together. That night Manny also invited some friends over and it was the first time that I got to see into his life. This meal has become a favorite memory of mine, and it is also pretty easy to make!

Savory

Okay, not going to lie, I hate making these! The ingredients are from the original recipe, but Manny and I have made tweaks that we like better. Some of the things we ended up not liking, and then sometimes ya boy is lazy and I skip a step. Within the steps, I’ll note what we do differently.

Ingredients

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 to 8 oz. each)
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for chicken
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 1 cup shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.), divided
  • Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
  • 3 cups baby arugula
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
  • A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Extra-virgin olive oil and good-quality balsamic vinegar, for serving

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place 1 chicken breast between 2 big sheets of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat pounder or an empty wine bottle, pound chicken as thin as you can without ripping it to shreds. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts. (Nothing different here, though. Season your chicken!)
  2. Set up 3 shallow bowls. Spread out 1 cup flour in one; season liberally with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Place eggs in the second bowl; season with salt and beat lightly just to combine. Combine breadcrumbs and panko in the third bowl; season with salt and black pepper. (Nothing different here either.)
  3. Place ¼ cup mozzarella on one side of each pounded chicken breast, about 2” in from the edges. Moisten edges of the whole breast with water, then sprinkle a little flour all over the edges. Fold the breast over the cheese, pressing on edges to seal. (If you do not have time to pound your chicken breast, you can just cut into the breast halfway and shove cheese into the chicken that way. We find it saves us time.)
  4. Dip chicken into seasoned flour on both sides, shaking off excess. Dip into egg on both sides, letting excess drip off. Press each side into breadcrumbs. Transfer chicken to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. (We like to repeat the breading process a second time for a crunchier crust.)
  5. Pour canola oil into a large skillet to a depth of about ½”. Heat over medium-high until oil is hot. Carefully lay 2 breaded cutlets in the skillet and cook until browned and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip cutlets and cook until golden brown, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer cutlets to a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. (Be careful with this step, y’all.)
  6. Meanwhile, fry remaining cutlets, adding a little oil if necessary between batches.
  7. Arrange cutlets on plates. Top with arugula and tomatoes. Using a vegetable peeler, shave some Parm over each cutlet; season with salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.