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Side view of a stack of Milanesa de pollo with parsley garnish
Olga

Crispy Milanesa de Pollo (Chicken Milanese)

5 from 1 vote
Crispy pollo empanizado (breaded chicken cutlets) seasoned well and garnished with chopped parsley and freshly squeezed lime.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Argentina, Colombian, Cuban, Dominican, Ecuadorian, Mexican, Peruvian, Puerto Rican
Calories: 400
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 Chicken Breasts
Breading Station
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs adjust if needed
  • 1 cup Plain breadcrumbs adjust if needed
  • 1/4 tsp Sazon
  • 1/2 tsp Onion Salt
  • 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 Lime, Juiced
Garnish
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley
  • 1/8 tsp Sea Salt Flakes
Oil
  • 16 oz Avocado Oil

Equipment

  • 1 Boning Knife or Chef Knife
  • 3 Shallow bowl, shallow dish, or large baking dish
  • 1 Large Baking Tray with Cooling Rack
  • 1 Fork
  • 1 Wooden Cutting Board
  • 1 Parchment Paper
  • 1 Kitchen Mallet
  • 1 Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet 15 1/4"
  • 1 Tongs

Method
 

  1. Step One: Prepare The Breading Station
    First: Flour, salt, and spices.
    Second: Eggs, water, salt, and spices.
    Third: Plain breadcrumbs, panko breadcrumbs, spices, salt, and lime juice.
    Flour:
    Pour the flour into a medium-sized baking dish, add a pinch of salt, onion salt, and sazon.
    Eggs & Water:
    In a medium baking dish, beat the two eggs and add the water. Add a pinch of salt, sazon, and onion salt.
    Overhead shot of Egg mixture for pollo apanado
  2. Step Two: Slice The Chicken
    Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then cut the chicken breasts into thinly sliced chicken cutlets and set aside.
    Note: You can yield roughly four servings of chicken cutlets with two chicken breasts, depending on the size.
    side view of chicken cutlet for pollo a la milanesa
  3. Step Three: Pound The Chicken Cutlets
    Pounding the chicken tenderizes it, allows seasoning to penetrate evenly, and ensures even cooking.
    Place a sliced chicken cutlet between two sheets of parchment paper on a cutting board. Use a mallet to pound the chicken until it is thin.
    Tip: Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent splattering when pounding chicken for easier cleanup.
    overhead shot chicken-cutlet-on-parchment-paper.
  4. Step Four: Breading Process
    This three-step process is simple and critical for a super crispy chicken.
    Place the breaded chicken on a plate until you’re ready to fry.
    Flour – This three-step process is simple. First, take the cutlet and generously dredge it in flour, ensuring every inch is well coated.
    Eggs – Next, dip it into a bath of whisked eggs made with water, eggs, spices, and salt.
    Breadcrumb Mixture – To achieve a crispy, golden cutlet, properly coat the chicken with the breadcrumb mixture.
    Be sure to press the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure they stick well, with the final layer of breadcrumb mixture being the most crucial.
    Overhead shot of breaded milanesa de pollo
  5. Step Five – Fry
    Grab your seasoned cast iron skillet or frying pan of choice, and place it on the stovetop with avocado oil—enough oil to cover the chicken completely. Increase the heat on the stovetop to medium heat, and once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan.
    Tip: One way to test if the oil is hot enough for frying chicken is to drop a small piece of chicken. If the oil bubbles around the chicken, it is ready for frying.
    After one side is golden brown, use tongs to flip the chicken. Once the other side is golden brown, transfer the milanesa de pollo to a cooling rack.
    Sprinkle sea salt flakes on the pollo apanado.
    Overhead shot of Milanesa de pollo in frying pan
  6. Step Six – Garnish Optional
    Clean and chop parsley leaves and tender stems. Use as garnish right before serving.
    Serve with sliced lime.
    Overhead shot of Pollo Empanizado con lima on cooling rack

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 35gFat: 20gCholesterol: 152mg

Notes

Top Tips For The Crispiest Thinly Sliced Pollo Apanado

  • Pound the chicken for an incredibly crispy Milanesa de pollo, and it's essential to pound the chicken after slicing for tenderized, even-textured, and delicious flavor.
  • Traditional and Japanese panko breadcrumbs - For a super crunchy and crispy pollo apanado, use a mixture of traditional breadcrumbs and large, flaky Japanese panko breadcrumbs. Panko crumbs are round and dense, staying crispy for a longer time.
  • Cooling Rack - After frying chicken, place it on a cooling rack to let the excess oil drip off instead of using a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. This prevents sogginess and preserves crispiness.

Frying Alternative: Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets

If you prefer to air fry the chicken cutlets, spray and coat the breaded cutlets with avocado oil. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees—place the chicken cutlets in the air fryer in a single layer. Air fry until golden brown.

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