Tomato Basil Chicken Milanese

This simple recipe for tomato basil Milanese swaps out the traditional veal for tender chicken and uses fresh summer cherry tomatoes and basil for a flavorful topping. A perfect delicious summertime supper!

I love this quick and easy recipe for chicken Milanese, first because of the quick and easy part, and second because it is one of my go-to summer chicken recipes that doesn’t involve the grill or making a salad.

Not that there is anything wrong with chicken salad or grilled chicken, mind you!  But sometimes during the summer I get saladed-out, and sometimes I don’t have the heart to send the Southern husband out into the sweltering heat to stand over the sweltering grill.

So this recipe that requires less that 8 minutes on the stove and includes sweet summer tomatoes and cheery summer basil and delectable Parmesan cheese is the answer!

So what does Milanese mean, anyway?

Milanese sounds all elegant and potentially intimidating, but I am here to tell you that is is nothing more than a light golden breadcrumb coating on a piece of thin pounded chicken.  Veal used to be the main component in this dish, but I’ve seen more and more versions of chicken Milanese popping up on menus.

Chicken is not only less expensive than veal, but I find that it is a lot easier to cook up as well.   Pounded veal can dry out quickly if you don’t watch it like a hawk, but pounded chicken pretty reliably cooks up to tender deliciousness.

Ingredients you need to make Tomato Basil Chicken Milanese

Here’s how you make tomato basil chicken Milanese!

STEP 1: Like I said, Milanese is fancy for a crispy bread coating, and you are going to start by pounding some chicken breasts until they are about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick.  If the pounding makes them super big, just cut them into whatever reasonable sized pieces look right to you.

STEP 2: Next you are going to season them up with a little salt and pepper, and then dunk them first into some beaten egg, then into some panko breadcrumbs, then into the grated Parmesan cheese.  I like to line up three soup plates with these three dunking ingredients right next to my stovetop so when the last piece of chicken is coated they can go right into the frying pan.

STEP 3: Cook them up until they are golden and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side, and while they are cooking you can whip up the delectable topping that sets this chicken Milanese apart in my book…halved cherry tomatoes tossed with fresh basil, a splash of olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

STEP 4: When the chicken is ready, simply divide it among plates, spoon the tomato topping over the chicken and scatter on a little more Parmesan cheese for good measure.

More Tips for making tomato basil milanese!

Now doesn’t that just look like summer on a plate?  A warm weather winner, winner chicken dinner!  What are your summertime chicken faves?  Tell me in the comments!