Torta de Milanesa

Published: Apr 29, 2019 · Updated: Jul 14, 2026 by Maggie Unzueta

This Torta de Milanesa recipe features crispy chicken milanesa, creamy avocado, and fresh toppings for a Mexican sandwich everyone will love.

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A Torta de Milanesa sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and avocado sits on a wooden table, with sliced tomatoes, pickles, and half an avocado in the background.

A Torta de Milanesa 🥪 is one of the most popular Mexican sandwiches.

It’s basically my Milanesa de Pollo recipe stuffed into a bread with all the fixings.

Think crispy breaded chicken is layered inside a soft bolillo with creamy avocado, fresh lettuce, juicy tomato, and spicy pickled jalapeños.

It’s crunchy, satisfying, and packed with flavor in every bite!

🐓 Ingredients

Fried chicken breast (Milanesa de Pollo)
Bolillo or telera bread
Avocado slices
Pickled Jalapeños
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Mayonnaise

For the fried chicken breast (Milanesa de Pollo) we’ll need:

Chicken breasts skinless, boneless
Eggs
All purpose flour
Bread crumbs + spices
Oil

👩🏼‍🍳 Instructions

Four photos: slicing chicken breast, two chicken fillets on a green board, a fillet covered in wax paper, and a meat mallet pounding the chicken through the paper.

Prepare the Chicken

Slice each chicken breast in half to create thinner cutlets.
Pound each piece with a meat mallet until they are an even thickness.
Set the chicken aside while preparing the breading station.

You’ll start by making a chicken cutlet. Sometimes, you’ll find chicken cutlets at the store already cut up for you.

You can also make this recipe using pork or beef steak instead of chicken, like a Milanesa de Res.

Three dishes on a wooden surface: one with flour, one with a beaten egg mixture including green herbs, and one glass dish with breadcrumbs, arranged for breading food preparation.

Place the flour in one shallow dish.
Beat the eggs with salt and pepper in a second shallow dish.
In a third dish, combine the bread crumbs with the salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and optional chile de árbol.
Coat each chicken cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess.
Dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides completely.
Press the chicken into the seasoned bread crumbs until evenly coated.
Repeat with the remaining chicken.

🌟 Pro Tips

Use one hand when dipping and dredging the raw chicken. That way, you only have ONE messy hand and one clean hand.

Don’t skimp on the flour, breadcrumbs, and eggs. If you run out, it’s really hard to get more with just one hand.

Optional spices: paprika, ground cumin, ground oregano, ground cayenne (not too much, maybe just a pinch), ground chile de arbol, ground chile ancho.

Four images show steps of making breaded chicken: coating raw chicken in breadcrumbs, frying it in a pan, the chicken browning, and the finished golden brown cutlet resting on paper towels.

Fry the Chicken

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fully cooked.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Continue until all the chicken has been fried.

Important: Place the fried chicken on a paper towel to drain any oil excess and give this a minute to cool down before placing on the bread. If you serve the fried chicken too greasy or too hot from the frying, your bread can become soggy.

Instead of Frying

Air fryer Instructions: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the breaded chicken in the basket with oil. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flip halfway. It’s ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Oven Instructions: Bake the breaded chicken in a 400 degrees F oven for 20 minutes, flip halfway until completely cooked through.

A close-up view of a large pile of freshly baked bolillo bread rolls with golden brown crusts, showing different textures and a variety of shapes and sizes.

Assemble the Torta

Slice the bolillos or teleras in half.
Spread mayonnaise on both halves of each roll.
Place one piece of crispy chicken on the bottom half.
Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, pickled jalapeños, and sliced avocado.
Cover with the top half of the bread and serve immediately.
Toast the bread, if desired.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

What bread is best for a torta?

Traditional bolillos or teleras are the best choice because they have a crispy exterior and soft interior that holds up well to the fillings.

What other toppings can I add?

Whatever your heart desires! Oaxaca cheese, queso fresco, frijoles refritos, white onion slices, chipotle mayo sauce, or sliced ham are all delicious additions. I’ve seen some places serve this sandwich with bacon, chiles toreados (roasted jalapeños), roasted tomatillo salsa verde, Mexican crema, pickled red onions, and more.

What oil can I use for frying?

Vegetable oil is best when frying the chicken cutlets. You can also use olive oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil. Coconut oil is not recommended because the chicken will pick up a coconut taste. However, if that’s your preference, use refined coconut oil, which handles high heat.

🫙 Storage and Reheating

Store the cooked milanesa separately from the bread and toppings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat the chicken in an air fryer, oven, or skillet until crispy again. Assemble the torta just before serving for the freshest flavor and best texture.
If freezing, freeze only the cooked breaded chicken for up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating.

A hand holds a Torta de Milanesa de Pollo packed with crispy chicken, avocado, lettuce, and sauce. In the background are sandwich halves, sliced avocado, and a small bowl of pickled jalapeños on a wooden surface.

🥪 More Mexican Sandwiches

A homemade Torta de Milanesa is the perfect combination of crispy, creamy, and fresh flavors. It’s a Mexican sandwich that’s easy enough for a weekday lunch but satisfying enough for dinner. Once you make it from scratch, you’ll want to keep this recipe on repeat.