Milanesa de Pollo Recipe — Argentinian Chicken Schnitzel

The weeknight milanesa. Lighter than beef, faster to cook, just as good. My nieces in Buenos Aires request this at least twice a week.

Milanesa de pollo is the weeknight version of the classic beef milanesa. Faster, lighter, and easier to cook, but with the same Argentinian signatures: garlic and parsley in the egg wash, fine breadcrumbs, pan-fried to a deep gold.

This is the dish every Argentinian household falls back on when nothing else seems right. It takes 30 minutes from fridge to plate. It works cold the next day in a sandwich. Children will eat it without fuss. It is, for lack of a better word, reliable.

The key is butterflying the chicken breast so it cooks evenly. Pounding it after butterflying makes the texture even better. Both steps add about 90 seconds and are worth every one.

Ingredients

Method

1. Butterfly the chicken.

   Place each chicken breast on a board. With a sharp knife held parallel to the board, slice through the breast horizontally, stopping 1 cm from the far edge. Open it like a book. You now have a heart-shaped thin piece.

2. Pound it flat.

   Place the butterflied chicken between two sheets of cling film and pound to 5 mm thickness. Even thickness cooks evenly.

3. Make the egg wash.

   In a wide bowl, whisk together eggs, minced garlic, milk, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.

4. Bread the chicken.

   Dip each butterflied breast in the egg wash, coating fully. Press into the breadcrumbs, coating thoroughly on both sides. Set aside on a plate. If you have time, refrigerate for 30 minutes to help the coating set.

5. Heat the oil.

   Heat 1 cm of oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat to about 180°C. A breadcrumb dropped in should sizzle immediately.

6. Fry.

   Fry each milanesa for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through. Do not crowd the pan, fry in batches. Drain on paper towel.

7. Serve.

   Serve immediately with lemon wedges, a green salad, and mashed potato or chips. A squeeze of lemon over the top before eating is essential.

Chef's notes.

Garlic and parsley in the egg. The Argentinian signature. Fresh parsley is better than dried here. Chicken is mild and benefits from the brightness.

Chill before frying if possible. 30 minutes in the fridge between breading and frying lets the coating bond to the meat. Skip if time-pressed, but do not skip when you have it.

Oil temperature matters. Too hot and the coating burns before the chicken cooks through. Too cool and it becomes greasy. Medium-high, about 180°C, is right.

Leftover milanesas are gold. Cold milanesa in a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and mayo is the ultimate Argentinian lunch.

Frequently asked questions