Milanesa de Pollo is a yummy and quick weekday meal. This chicken recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes.

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Milanesa de Pollo (Chicken Milanese) is a yummy dish that comes together in under 30 minutes. Watch the VIDEO or step-by-step pictures to make this family meal at home.

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Delicious pork tamales and a steaming bowl of menudo both have their place and time, but that is generally for only special occasions.

What do I prefer? I love meals that I can get on the table fast – faster than a speeding bullet, more nutritious than a bottle of vitamins.

After all, I have got things to do, and people to see. Actually, I am on my son’s schedule. He has things to do, and people to see. Lol.

To make Milanesa de Pollo, it all starts with butterflying a chicken breast. Take a knife and cut that juicy chicken breast until it splits in two. This is also called “butterflying” a chicken.

You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but the breast is what is most commonly used. Breast is best.

Then place the chicken between two sheets of wax paper. You are going to pound it out until it is very thin – not so thin that you can use it to replace a broken window, but thin enough to cook easily.

If you do not have wax paper, you can also use plastic wrap.

Do you see how thin the chicken breast is? It can even get thinner than this, but this is as thin as I like it.

What to use if you don’t have a meat tenderizer?

If you do not have a meat tenderizer, you can use the back of an iron skillet (for example). Or something sturdy and heavy enough.

Some skillets might work, but you might damage the handle.

The other thing you can do is ask you butcher at the grocery store if he can slice the chicken breast in half.

Be very careful not to hurt yourself or damage the surface you are working on.

Remember: Nothing is more time-consuming than watching hours and hours of HGTV looking for just the right new kitchen countertop ideas. By the way, these days, quartz is in.

Set the chicken aside and set up a station similar to the picture above. Flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. None of these come seasoned.

You may be a seasoned cook but your ingredients are not. You can season your Milanesa de Pollo in a different way, depending on what you like.

For me, it is always the season for seasoning. Season’s Eatings! 🙂

Dredge the chicken in the flour first.

Shake off any excess flour.

Beat the eggs in a shallow plate. Then drop the floured chicken in the eggs.

Make sure to get egg on all the chicken.

The egg mixture helps the bread crumbs stick to the chicken.

Which came first? The chicken or the egg? In this case, BOTH at the very same time!.

Lastly, add it to the seasoned breadcrumbs. Again, shake off any excess breadcrumbs. Set this aside until ready to use.

If you have too many bread crumbs and they do not stick to the chicken, they can burn in the oil. This will cause lots of smoke. No bueno!

Here are some ingredients you can add to your breadcrumbs for a Mexican-style Chicken Milanese:
dried oregano
ground cumin
garlic powder
onion powder
smoked paprika
ground chile de arbol
cayenne

Any combination of these is fine. All or none, but at the very least, salt and pepper are a must.

You can always make a basic Milanesa de Pollo and serve with homemade salsa.

Time to fry. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes.

I am using a black cast iron skillet.

I personally believe that it is the best kind for frying (but some people in the house complain it is hard to clean). Whatever pan you have should be fine.

You can also use a deep fryer. That will work too, but it will only take 4 minutes to cook. The fryer cooks both sides.

Heat up the oil and stand back. We want you to practice safe cooking in a splatter-free zone.

Turn and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown. I told you this was fast.

What kinds of oils are good for frying?
Peanut oil
Soybean oil
Canola
Vegetable oil

I used vegetable oil to fry the Milanesa de Pollo.

Why you shouldn’t fry with Olive Oil?
Olive oil is great for shallow frying like eggs, but it is very expensive to fry with. If you’re made of cash, go for it!

What about Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil is the healthiest oil to fry in, but it is costly, and it will give a sweet flavor to your food.

Vegetable is more affordable and will get the job done. Just saying…

Once you are done frying, place the cooked chicken on a paper towel. This will help drain any excess oil.

Pat it on the top as well to soak up the oil. You can also pat the top of your child’s or husband’s head if you’d like, but be sure to wipe off your hands first.

I know what you’re thinking: How is Milanesa de Pollo a Mexican recipe?

Technically, it is not. We adopted it from the good people of Milan, Italy. However, this is a very popular recipe in many, many Mexican homes and food stands across the republic.

Schnitzel and Milanesa de Res are the same thing. Basically, it is the same recipe as the one you here with chicken, but it is made with beef. Germans traditionally use veal to make schnitzel.

Serve the Milanesa de Pollo with a salad or french fries. I saw this served in Milan, Italy with capers and lemon.

I have also seen it topped off with slices of pickled jalapeño, avocado, and salsa. One of my favorite ways to eat this is in a sandwich which is also very popular in Mexico – the beloved Torta de Milanesa. Yum!

Hope you enjoy!