Chef Graziella
Casoncelli alla Bergamasca
The stuffed pasta of Bergamo's valleys, where crushed amaretti in the meat filling creates a sweet-savory balance that exists nowhere else in Italy. Dressed simply in browned butter and sage.
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Cotoletta di Pollo alla Milanese
Created by
The golden cutlet of Lombardy, where chicken is pounded thin, coated in the finest crumbs, and fried in butter until it shatters at the touch of a fork. Lemon is the only adornment it needs.
Main Dishes
Italian, Lombard
Weeknight
Quick Meal
20 min
Active Time
15 min cook•35 min total
Yield4 servings
The true cotoletta alla Milanese is made with veal, a bone-in rib chop pounded flat and fried until the crust turns the color of old gold. I am giving you the chicken version because good veal is difficult to find in America, and because a properly made chicken cotoletta will teach you everything you need to know about this technique.
What you keep out is as significant as what you put in. There is no garlic here. No herbs in the breading. No cream sauce pooling beneath the cutlet. The Milanese understand that a perfectly fried piece of meat, golden and crisp, needs only a squeeze of lemon to cut through the richness of the butter. Anything more is distraction.
The breading must be fine, almost powdery. American breadcrumbs are too coarse. You want crumbs that create a delicate shell, not a thick armor. The butter must foam but never brown. The cutlet must cook through gently while the exterior crisps. This takes attention. Simple does not mean easy.
Watch the pan. Listen to the sizzle. When the edges turn golden and the crust pulls slightly away from the meat, you are close. This is weeknight cooking in Milan, where home cooks have made this for their families for generations without ever consulting a recipe.
The cotoletta alla Milanese appears in Milanese records as early as the 12th century, making it one of Europe's oldest documented breaded cutlet preparations. Legend claims that Austrian Field Marshal Radetzky brought the recipe to Vienna in 1848, where it became Wiener Schnitzel, though Viennese cooks dispute this origin fiercely. What remains certain is that Milan has been frying breaded cutlets in butter since before most European nations existed.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Quantity
4 (about 6 ounces each)
all-purpose flour
Quantity
1 cup
large eggs
Quantity
3
fine dry breadcrumbs
Quantity
2 cups
unsalted butter
Quantity
6 tablespoons
vegetable oil
Quantity
2 tablespoons
kosher salt
Quantity
to taste
lemons
Quantity
2
cut into wedges
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| boneless, skinless chicken breasts | 4 (about 6 ounces each) |
| all-purpose flour | 1 cup |
| large eggs | 3 |
| fine dry breadcrumbs | 2 cups |
| unsalted butter | 6 tablespoons |
| vegetable oil | 2 tablespoons |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| lemonscut into wedges | 2 |
Equipment Needed
- •Meat mallet or heavy pan for pounding
- •Three shallow dishes for breading station
- •Heavy 12-inch skillet
- •Wire rack set over sheet pan
- •Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
- 1
Pound the chicken thin
Place one chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy pan, pound the chicken to an even thickness of about one-quarter inch. Work from the center outward. The cutlet should be uniformly thin so it cooks evenly. Repeat with remaining breasts. Season both sides generously with salt.
Uneven thickness is the enemy of a good cotoletta. Thick spots remain raw while thin spots overcook. Take your time with the mallet. - 2
Prepare the breading station
Set three shallow dishes in a row. Place the flour in the first, seasoned with a pinch of salt. Beat the eggs in the second with a fork until smooth. Place the breadcrumbs in the third. This arrangement allows you to move efficiently from coating to coating.
- 3
Bread the cutlets
Dredge one cutlet in flour, shaking off excess. The flour coating must be thin. Dip in beaten egg, letting excess drip back into the dish. Press firmly into breadcrumbs on both sides, ensuring complete coverage. Set on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Let them rest for 10 minutes before frying.
The resting period allows the breading to set and adhere. Skip this step and your coating will slide off in the pan. - 4
Heat the butter
In a heavy skillet large enough to hold two cutlets without crowding, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. The oil prevents the butter from burning. When the butter foams and the foam begins to subside, the fat is ready. It should shimmer but not smoke.
- 5
Fry the cutlets
Carefully lay two cutlets in the pan. Do not move them. Let them cook undisturbed until the edges turn golden and the bottom crust is deeply colored, about 3 minutes. Flip once using a spatula. Cook the second side until golden and the chicken is cooked through, another 2 to 3 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Resist the urge to press the cutlets with your spatula. Pressing squeezes out juices and creates a tough, dry result. - 6
Rest and repeat
Transfer the cooked cutlets to a wire rack set over a sheet pan. Keep warm in a 200 degree oven while you cook the remaining cutlets. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels, add the remaining butter and oil, and repeat the frying process.
- 7
Serve immediately
Place each cotoletta on a warm plate. Serve with lemon wedges alongside. The lemon is squeezed over the cutlet at the table, just before eating. There is no sauce. There is no garnish. The golden crust and the bright acidity of lemon are everything this dish needs.
Chef Tips
- •Fine dry breadcrumbs are essential. If yours are coarse, pulse them in a food processor until powdery. Panko creates an entirely different texture and has no place here.
- •The butter must foam but never turn brown. Brown butter tastes wonderful but leaves dark specks on your golden crust. Medium heat and vigilance prevent this.
- •Do not crowd the pan. Cutlets need space or they steam instead of fry. Work in batches. Patience produces crispness.
- •A squeeze of lemon is traditional and correct. If someone at your table asks for ketchup, you may weep quietly but say nothing.
Advance Preparation
- •Cutlets can be breaded up to two hours ahead and refrigerated on a wire rack, uncovered. The breading firms up nicely. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before frying.
- •Once fried, cotolette do not hold well. The crust softens. This is a dish best served immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 260g)
Calories
660 calories
Total Fat
26 g
Saturated Fat
10 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
16 g
Cholesterol
250 mg
Sodium
820 mg
Total Carbohydrates
40 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
62 g
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