Pork Milanese Recipe
Published August 7, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Pork Milanese Recipe is coated in breadcrumbs and pan-fried to perfection and is topped off with a simple green salad. You will love how easy this recipe is to make and how tasty it is.
There is nothing better than tender, juicy, delicious, cooked pork, and the best part is that it’s still decently affordable. If you feel the same way, please try my Southern Fried Pork Chops or my Breaded Pork Chops.
Pork Milanese
Pork Milanese is a flattened fillet of pork usually cut from the loin and pounded out with a mallet. It’s then breaded using a standard bread procedure and fried until crispy brown. It can be served with a sauce, by itself, or with a salad.
Pork Milanese is an old-school Italian dish, but it’s more about the technique of alla Milanese. Milanese is the process of coating a thin piece of protein in flour, egg, and then bread crumbs, and then pan-frying it in some olive oil. It is also known as, “in the style of Milan.” The most classic cut of meat to use for this recipe is veal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pork – I used bone-in pork chops for this. You could also use boneless pork chops.
- Flour – all-purpose flour is what you’ll need for the breading procedure.
- Eggs – Large eggs that are chilled or at room temperature will work.
- Breadcrumbs – You can use breadcrumbs or panko crumbs.
- Oil – Olive oil or avocado oil work best for this.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking, so that I control the sodium content.
- Seasonings – Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper is all that is used to season this dish.
- Salad – This part is subjective. However, I used arugula, kale, cucumbers, radishes, peas, asparagus, microgreens, and parmigiana Reggiano. You can just use the greens, or feel free to get creative.
- Salad Dressing – I use only lemon juice and olive oil. Feel free to use my Lemon Vinaigrette dressing for a sweeter addition.
How to Make Pork Milanese
- Place the pork chop in between two large pieces of plastic wrap and, using a mallet, pound it out until it is about 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick.
- Season with salt and pepper on both sides and set them aside.
- Set up a standard breading procedure by putting flour in 1 shallow bowl or 9” cake or pie tin, whisked eggs in another, and then panko or breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl or 9” cake or pie tin.
- Dredge the pork on all sides in the flour, the egg wash, and finally, the panko breadcrumbs. Once they are coated, you can either add them right to a pan with oil for cooking or layer them on parchment paper to hold them aside for a few minutes.
- Add the oil to a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. As soon as it begins to smoke lightly, add the breaded pork and cook it for 3 to 4 per side or until golden brown. Set aside some paper towels to drain off any excess oil.
- Serve it, Baby Kale salad.
What to Serve It With?
Often pork Milanese is simply eaten by itself or with a light sauce. In this case, for my recipe, I believe a light salad with a simple vinaigrette does a great job complimenting the pan-fried pork chop.
Baking Pork Milanese
It’s incredibly important to start cooking your pork Milanese in some oil to help brown it. If you are the type to get nervous while pan-cooking anything because you are afraid it will burn or not be cooked through, then baking it in the oven is a great option.
Once you brown one side of the breaded flattened pork chop, simply remove it from the pan and place it on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper cooked side up and finish in the oven at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead – This is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s done cooking.
How to Reheat: Add the pork Milanese to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cook it in the oven at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes or until hot.
How to Store: If you don’t dress the salad ahead of time and keep it separate from the greens, the salad mixture will hold up to 2 days. I like to store the salad in a plastic bag and the vinaigrette in a small plastic container with a lid. The breaded pork chop is also stored in a plastic bag and can be kept for up to 3 days. The salad will not freeze but the pork chop will freeze well for up to 2 months.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You can absolutely cut out the bone, but I prefer to leave it to help seal in more juices making it more tender.
- You can also serve this with risotto, cacio e pepe pasta, and caponata.
- Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs that are crisp and large.
More Pork Recipes
- Verde Pork Posole Recipe
- Pork Chops with Apples
- Maple Glazed Pork Chops
- Ham and Green Beans Stew
- Grilled Pork Chops
Video
Pork Milanese Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 2 1- pound bone-in pork chops
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 whisked eggs
- 2 cups of panko of breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For the Salad:
- juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups of packed baby arugula
- 2 cups of packed baby kale
- ½ thinly shaven cucumbers, no seeds (optional)
- 2 thinly shaven radishes, optional
- 1/3 cup of cooked and chilled peas, optional
- 8 to 10 thinly shaven cooked and chilled asparagus, optional
- ¼ cup of microgreens, optional
- ¼ cup of shaved parmesan cheese
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the pork chop in between two large pieces of plastic wrap, and using a mallet pound it out until it is about 1/4" to 1/2" thick.
- Season with salt and pepper on both sides and set them aside.
- Set a standard breading procedure by putting flour in 1 shallow bowl or 9” cake or pie tin, whisked eggs in another, and then panko or breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl or 9” cake or pie tin.
- Dredge the pork on all sides in the flour, then the egg wash, then finally the panko breadcrumbs, and then set on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat the process with the other pork chops.
- Add the oil to a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. As soon as it begins to smoke very lightly, add the breaded pork, turn the heat down to medium, and cook it for 3 to 4 per side or until it’s golden brown very lightly.
- As soon as you flip the pork, add 1 tablespoon of butter per breaded pork chop.
- Set aside some paper towels to drain off any excess oil.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the salad.
- Serve the salad on top of the breaded pork chop.
Delicious.
so good!!
Love it!
Loved this recipe
It felt like I was in Italy
amazing!
This is perfect summer night dinner!!!
so good!!
The best I have ever eaten!… Simply delicious!
amazing!
Delicious as always!!!
many thanks!
Can’t wait to make this – but because of the meds I am on for my thyroid, I can not eat Kale. So will just use head lettuce instead. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
my pleasure!
I will make this very soon! Your recipes are fabulous, and I appreciate your easy to understand directions.
What a great dis this one is. My Family loves this one and I will change it up depending on the season. We have this for dinner a couple of time a month, we love it and it is easy to pull together. Thanks Chef, this is a great recipe….
This is one of our go-to weeknight dinners! I first had this in a trattoria in Milan, topped with chopped tomatoes and arugula, and I’ve been making it ever since. Sometimes I’ll make it with chicken breast, but pork is so much better. Love the addition of Parmigiano!
love it!
Absolutely delish!! Served it with a watermelon & mozzarella salad (with basil, green onions and greens) turned out great!
Next time I will definitely serve it with the suggested salad:)
love it!