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If tender, succulent chicken in a crispy breadcrumb coating sounds like your kind of sit-down dinner, give my Argentinian-inspired milanesa con papas fritas recipe a try this evening and put a big smile on everyone’s face!
Milanesa con Papas Fritas Recipe
What is Milanesa?
Milanesa is a classic example of the European influence on Latin American cuisine. Originating from the Italian dish veal Milanese, in essence, a milanesa, in a similar vein to a French escalope or Central European schnitzel, can refer to any type of breaded meat cutlet.
Simple to prepare, milanesa can be made with chicken, pork, beef, fish, and many other types of meat.
A Local’s Insight
For many of us Argentinians, milanesa con papas fritas was one of our favorite dishes as kids. It was common to eat it both at home and in restaurants more than once a week and was pretty much always on the menu at children’s parties.
While it’s easy to prepare, if we don’t feel like it, we can go to the local butcher, as pretty much any butcher will sell pre-made milanesa.
Milenasa cooks quickly, and in Argentina, we fry it both in the pan or cook them in the oven. Along with our favorite, fries, you can pretty much serve this with anything, from pasta to salads.
This really is practical, down-to-earth Argentinian cooking at its finest!
– María Muzzachiodi, Argentinian writer, foodie, and key contributor to our Argentinian foods roundup.
In this recipe, we’re making the milanesa with chicken, but you can substitute your favorite meat (veal, steak, or pork) or even white fish like basa and use the recipe below.
Ingredients
To make my milanesa recipe, you’ll first need the following ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts – 2 chicken breasts
- Salt – to taste or 1 tsp salt
- Pepper – to taste or 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Garlic Powder – 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Oregano – 1 tsp dried oregano
- Fresh Parsley – 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- Flour – 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Eggs – 2 eggs
- Breadcrumbs – 1 cup breadcrumbs
- Oil (for frying) – 1 cup neutral oil
Ingredient Notes
Oil – use any neutral-tasting oil for frying (sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, vegetable oil, light olive oil).
Breadcrumbs – any breadcrumbs will work here (I prefer a combination of half fresh breadcrumbs and half golden breadcrumbs).
Spices – I love the combination of oregano, garlic, and parsley, but you can also add paprika and/or cumin. It’s up to you if you want to play around with the spices.
Garlic – You can also use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. If using fresh garlic, mince 2 garlic cloves and add them to the beaten eggs rather than to the chicken.
Instructions
Step 1 – Thin the chicken breast. First, butterfly it (slowly and carefully slice the chicken breast from the thicker side to the thinner side horizontally, not going all the way through). Then, the easiest method is to use a meat tenderizer or even a rolling pin to flatten the butterflied chicken breast.
Traditionally, in Argentina, many chefs use the knife to make small cuts (as seen in the image below) all over the chicken breast to flatten it (rather than using a meat tenderizer or rolling pin), but we find the meat tenderizer method much safer and faster for home cooking (especially if you don’t have really sharp knives).
Step 2 – Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, dried oregano, and garlic powder.
Step 3 – Chop the fresh parsley and add it to the beaten eggs.
Step 4 – Set up your breading station (flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs). Season the flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Step 5 – Bread the chicken first in the flour, then the beaten eggs, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
Step 6 – In a pan (large enough for the size of the chicken milanesa) over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of oil. Once the oil is hot (about 350°F/175°C if measuring with a cooking thermometer), add the milanesa and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. If using other types of meat, adjust the cooking times accordingly.
Step 7 – Once cooked, take it out and dry it on a cooling rack (or on a plate with paper towels).
What to Serve with Milanesa
Fries – For a classic pairing, as I have done, serve it with a side of crispy French fries.
Egg – In addition, you could add a fried egg (or two) to the top of the milanesa.
Sandwich – Want a dish that is really hearty? To serve it in a sandwich, serve it in a baguette (cut lengthwise) with cheese, tomato, lettuce, and mayo.
Lemon – Serve it with a couple of slices of lemon so that you can squeeze some zesty lemon juice over the breaded meat.
Other Sides – As María mentioned above, lots of sides pair well with this dish, including various types of pasta and lots of different salads.
Get creative, and let me know in the comments what you served it with! I really hope you enjoy this wonderfully succulent and delicately crispy dish.
Recipe Card
Milanesa
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- salt (to taste or 1 tsp)
- black pepper (to taste or 1/2 tsp)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup neutral oil
Instructions
- Thin the chicken breast. First, butterfly it (slowly and carefully slice the chicken breast from the thicker side to the thinner side horizontally, not going all the way through). Then, the easiest method is to use a meat tenderizer or even a rolling pin to flatten the butterflied chicken breast.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt (to taste or half a teaspoon total), black pepper (to taste or one-fourth teaspoon), dried oregano, and garlic powder.
- Chop the fresh parsley and add it to the beaten eggs.
- Set up your breading station (flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs). Season the flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Bread the chicken first in the flour, then the beaten eggs, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
- In a pan (large enough for the size of the chicken milanesa) over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of oil. Once the oil is hot (about 350°F/175°C if measuring with a cooking thermometer), add the milanesa and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. If using other types of meat, adjust the cooking times accordingly.
- Once cooked, take it out and dry it on a cooling rack (or on a plate with paper towels).
Notes
Oil – use any neutral-tasting oil for frying (sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, vegetable oil, light olive oil).
Breadcrumbs – any breadcrumbs will work here (I prefer a combination of half fresh breadcrumbs and half golden breadcrumbs).
Spices – I love the combination of oregano, garlic, and parsley, but you can also add paprika and/or cumin. It’s up to you if you want to play around with the spices.
Garlic – You can also use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder. If using fresh garlic, mince 2 garlic cloves and add them to the beaten eggs rather than to the chicken.
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