Cotoletta alla Milanese
Breaded pan-fried veal cutlet
Ingredients
- 2 fillets Chicken breast
- 120 g Breadcrumbs
- 2 Egg
- 60 g 00 flour
- 60 g Butter
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 Lemon (optional)
Method
- Flatten the cutlets thin between sheets of plastic, then set up three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten egg, one with breadcrumbs.
- Season the cutlets with salt, then coat each in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing well so the crumbs adhere.
- Fry the cutlets in foaming butter in a skillet over medium heat until golden and crisp on both sides.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
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About Cotoletta alla Milanese
Cotoletta alla Milanese is the pride of Milan — a breaded, pan-fried cutlet traditionally made with bone-in veal, here rendered with chicken breast in the widely loved lighter style. What defines the authentic version is that it's fried in butter, not oil, which gives the crust its distinctive richness and nutty aroma, and that it's dressed with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon. The standard flour-egg-breadcrumb coating, pressed on firmly, is what produces the shatteringly crisp golden shell around tender meat.
The magic is in the contrast: a thin, even cutlet pounded flat so it cooks quickly and stays juicy, sheathed in a crust that crackles when you cut it. Frying in foaming butter over steady medium heat is the key — hot enough to crisp, gentle enough not to burn the milk solids. Ready in around twenty-five minutes, it's a genuinely quick main that feels far more special than the effort suggests. In Milan it's often served simply with lemon and perhaps a dressed rocket salad, letting the golden crust take center stage.
Cotoletta alla Milanese: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Cotoletta alla Milanese?
A serving has about 814 calories — 52.5g protein, 65.9g carbs, 37.8g fat, 3.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 52.5g of protein, roughly 26% of its calories.
Is Cotoletta alla Milanese gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Breadcrumbs, 00 flour. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
Is Cotoletta alla Milanese dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Butter. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Cotoletta alla Milanese?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out lemon — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Cotoletta alla Milanese make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.