Here’s an easy breaded chicken recipe that tastes delicious and is gluten free. This Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs combines the most tender, moist chicken breasts with a light lemon butter sauce and some Italian seasonings in a coating that will make you forget that you are not eating breadcrumbs!
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This Easy Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs recipe is the perfect weeknight meal with the added benefit of being gluten-free!
Besides that, this recipe tastes so delicious and is so simple to prepare that you’ll want to add this dish to your regular weekly meal rotation.
It’s a dish the whole family will love!
What Is Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs?
First off, chicken Milanese is a simple Mediterranean variation on breaded chicken breasts usually served in a light lemon butter sauce.
By the way, if you like Mediterranean dishes, please check out my Stuffed Peppers Without Rice if you have a chance!
Chicken Milanese (or Milanesa) incorporates Italian seasonings and, traditionally, uses breadcrumbs to create a nice, crunchy outer crust.
However, I prefer this gluten-free alternative to traditional Chicken Milanese.
This easy recipe uses two simple ingredients instead of breadcrumbs, while still giving the dish a nice, crunchy texture.
My perfect two-ingredient substitution for breadcrumbs is in the Tips & Substitutions section and in the Recipe Card below.
Chicken Milanese without Breadcrumbs – The Ingredients
In keeping with my general theme of sharing easy, accessible recipes, there are not a ton of ingredients in this recipe.
I’ve separated the ingredients below based on their ingredient category to make it easier for you to see what you may need when making this recipe.
I strive to share simple, seasonal recipes that anyone can make – even beginner chefs!
This recipe fits that theme.
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Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs – Spices
The largest subset of ingredients I used in this Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Recipe was definitely the spices.
Some of these same spices were even used in my Texas Roadhouse Herb Crusted Chicken recipe!
But don’t be intimidated – you can add additional (or fewer) spices depending on what you prefer.
(NOTE: All ingredient measurements are provided in the recipe card below and you can even print this recipe from there, as well!)
- Oregano
- Basil
- Parsley
- Marjoram
- Salt
- Black Pepper
With the spices, you can always omit one if you don’t have it – basil, for example – without affecting the recipe too much.
Essential (Core) Ingredients
- Pre-sliced, Super Thin Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Using pre-sliced, ultra-thin chicken breasts is KEY to this recipe. These will prevent you from having to slice thicker breasts and pound them thinner, which saves a lot of preparation time!
- Blanched Almond Flour (Do NOT use if you have a nut allergy)
- Finely Grated, Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Using Blanched Almond Flour keeps this Easy Chicken Milanese Recipe Gluten-Free.
Combining the blanched almond flour with grated Parmesan cheese helps to create a perfectly crunchy coating with a similar texture to breadcrumbs.
- Eggs
- Olive Oil Butter (Regular butter is fine)
- Lemons (2)
Finally, some:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh Arugula
Recipe Equipment Used
A heavy cast-iron skillet like my Lodge Skillet shown in the Pic above is perfect for making this Gluten Free Breaded Chicken dish.
Cast-iron heats up quickly and retains heat well, so the chicken cooks quickly and throughly.
A pair of grilling tongs with silicone ends are also great for flipping the chicken over in the pan.
You will also need 3 flat plates with semi-high sides when setting up your dredging station for breading your chicken Milanese.
These plates are perfectly designed for dredging – they have semi-high sides and are wide enough and flat enough to accommodate larger chicken breasts
Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs Recipe Overview
Now that we have the ingredients and the very few pieces of cookware needed for this recipe, let’s talk about some key tips and substitutions that can really speed up the Prep Time and Cook Time.
Tips & Substitutions
First off, this recipe will be a lot quicker if you can avoid having to slice thick chicken breasts and then pound them flatter.
Try to find super-thin, pre-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts like the ones shown below:
These thinly sliced chicken breasts don’t require any slicing or hammering, so there is no additional Prep Time.
These chicken breasts come so thinly slice right out of the package, that they also cook very quickly!
The Key To Remaining Gluten-Free
The key to keeping this Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs recipe gluten free is replacing traditional breadcrumbs.
But without sacrificing the pleasing texture and crunch of traditional breadcrumbs.
The Perfect Substitute for Breadcrumbs
In this recipe, instead of coating the chicken with breadcrumbs, I used a combination of Blanched Almond Flour and Grated Parmesan Cheese to create a similar texture.
This is a great gluten-free alternative to use whenever you are breading chicken, fish or pork!
Nut Allergy?
Obviously, if you have a nut allergy do NOT use almond flour.
To keep this recipe gluten-free, one option for those of you with nut allergies may be to use Gluten-Free Panko Breadcrumbs like these (***Check the Ingredients first, however, to make sure there are no nuts or nut oil or ask a doctor before consuming***)
Homemade Italian Seasoning
A simple Italian seasoning consisting of Oregano, Basil, Parsley and Marjoram awas added to the ‘coating’ for flavor.
(NOTE: If you don’t have marjoram, you can use a general all-spice or simply omit this ingredient, altogether as I don’t think it takes too much away from this dish)
By the way, here are some Common Marjoram Substitutes just in case you’re interested in what you could use in place of marjoram!
Here’s Another Gluten-Free Chicken Milanese Alternative
Another way of making this gluten-free Chicken Milanesa without breadcrumbs is to substitute Dried Pork Rinds for the Blanched Almond Flour.
You can crush these dried pork rinds up yourself and then coat each chicken breast in the dried, crushed pork rinds.
These will also provide that nice, thick crunch to each piece of your Chicken Milanese.
Personally, I prefer the blanched almond flour because I find it lighter and healthier.
But the pork rinds can provide a bit of extra crunch!
Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs Dredging Station
The main preparation time in this recipe is preparing your dredging station and dredging and coating the chicken.
Preparing your dredging station in advance will save you a lot of time later.
For your dredging station, you’ll want three plates as shown below:
Here’s how I set up my ‘dredging station’ for breading and seasoning my chicken breasts.
In the first plate (top left), I made a mixture of Blanched Almond Flour and Grated Parmesan Cheese.
The second dish (top right) is my egg wash – it’s just two eggs and about 1/4 cup of water.
The bottom dish is my homemade Italian seasoning.
Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs Dredging Technique
After patting your chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and seasoning them with salt and pepper, just do the following:
- Coat the chicken in the Almond Flour/Parmesan Mixture (make sure each breast is totally covered)
- Then, dunk each chicken breast in the egg wash and hold it above the dish afterwards so the excess egg wash drains off
- Finally, lay each breast in the Italian seasoning, pressing each chicken cutlet into the seasoning and turning it over so both sides are fully seasoned
- You can then transfer each breast to your skillet or to another plate (See below)
The Seasoning Vs The Finishing Sauce
In the past, I’ve been asked about the difference between a recipe’s seasoning versus it’s ‘finishing’ sauce and whether you need both.
This Chicken Milanese recipe is a perfect example of the difference between these two ideas, as well as how they complement one another.
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The seasoning in this recipe is the Homemade Italian seasoning that gets incorporated during the dredging process.
The simple Italian seasoning I made adds a nice flavor that gets cooked into each chicken breast.
Lemon Butter Finishing Sauce
A hot lemon butter sauce is then added as the final step of this recipe just before serving.
This finishing sauce keeps the Chicken Milanese warm and complements the flavors incorporated in the Italian seasoning.
In my opinion, you’ll want to use BOTH a nice seasoning AND a finishing sauce for the best result when making this recipe.
I used a similar hot lemon butter sauce in my Oven Baked Rockfish recipe!
Now, onto the exact step-by-step recipe…
Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs
2
servings10
minutes6
minutes290
kcalThis Chicken Milanese without Breadcrumbs recipe is quick-to-prepare, tastes delicious, and uses a two-ingredient substitute in place of breadcrumbs keeping it gluten-free. By substituting Blanched Almond Flour and Grated Parmesan Cheese in place of breadcrumbs you get all the crunchy goodness of breadcrumbs in each chicken breast without the gluten!
(NOTE: Amazon links provided for some ingredients below. Please know that if you purchase any ingredients through these links, I will receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.)
Ingredients
2 1 lb Pre-sliced, thin, Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
4 cups Blanched Almond Flour
2 large Eggs
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
3 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 whole Lemons (Lemon Juice is fine)
1/4 stick Olive Oil Butter (Regular Butter is fine)
1 – 2 tbsp Oregano
1 – 2 tbsp Basil
1 – 2 tbsp Parsley
1 – 2 tbsp Marjoram
Directions
- Use pre-sliced thin chicken breasts if can can. Otherwise, slice one larger chicken breast in half, horizontally, to make two thinly sliced chicken breasts. Then, wrap each breast in non-stick, plastic food wrap and flatten by lightly pounding each breast with a food hammer until they are roughly 1/4 inch thick or thinner. Season each breast with salt/pepper to taste.
- Prepare your Dredging Station using 3 flatter, wide plates with raised edges like these!
- In the first plate, add 4 cups of blanched almond flour and mix in one full cup of Grated Parmesan cheese. In the second plate, add two eggs and 1/4 cup of water and whisk thoroughly to create an egg wash. In the third plate, mix 4 tablespoons of each: Oregano, Basil, Marjoram and Parsley to create the Italian seasoning for this dish. Now your 3-plate dredging station is ready!
- Next, prepare each thin, tenderized chicken cutlet by patting dry with a paper towel and seasoning each breast with 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of black pepper, making sure to turn each breast over and season both sides.
- Dredge each chicken cutlet into the Blanched Almond Flour/Grated Parmesan breadcrumb substitute mixture until it is fully coated (Hint: Place each breast in the coating and then use both free hands to completely cover each piece of chicken with the coating!)
- Once each piece of chicken is fully coated, dip each breast into the egg wash. Allow the excess water/egg mixture to drip off your cutlet so that it is not too ‘wet’. The egg wash will help the seasoning adhere nicely in the next step.
- Next, take each chicken cutlet that has now been coated and dunked in the egg wash and press each cutlet into the Italian seasoning in dish #3. Press each chicken breast firmly into the seasoning, turning it over once or twice to make sure that each chicken piece is fully coated in the Italian spices.
- Once each breast is totally dredged and coated with the Italian seasoning, transfer to a large frying pan or cast-iron skillet like this one that has been coated with olive oil and set over medium-high heat.
- Cook each cutlet for 3-4 minutes per side to ensure that the Chicken Milanese is cooked all the way through. The internal temperature of cooked chicken should be at least 165 degrees F. You can use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of each chicken cutlet! Remember, according to the CDC it is dangerous to eat undercooked chicken.
- As the breaded chicken breasts are cooking, prepare the lemon butter sauce by adding 1/4 stick of olive oil butter into a small sauce pot over Low heat.
- Remove each breast from the pan or skillet and drain any excess olive oil. I like to use grilling tongs with silicone ends to lift and gently shake each breast to cast off any excess olive oil.
- Squeeze one-half lemon into the small sauce pot with the butter that should now be melted and stir gently.
- Place some fresh Arugula on a plate to be used as a foundation over which to serve each piece of Chicken Milanese.
- Next, use the silicone grilling tongs to transfer each cooked piece of Chicken Milanese to the plate placing each atop the fresh Arugula.
- Drizzle the hot lemon butter sauce over each, individual coated chicken breast until fully covered. (NOTE: Slice the other one to one-and-a-half lemons and add as a garnish on top of each chicken breast.
- Serve immediately to ensure that your Chicken Milanese without Breadcrumbs is still hot!
Notes
- As I mentioned a few times already, use pre-sliced thin, skinless, boneless, chicken breasts if you can find them because they will save you a lot of Prep Time.
- My substitute for breadcrumbs was a mixture of Blanched Almond Flour and Grated Parmesan Cheese. This mixture creates a nice, crunchy outer coating while keeping this ‘breaded’ chicken dish gluten-free. (NOTE: If you have a nut allergy, look into using gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs or crushed, dried Pork Rinds for your coating)
- You can buy a pre-made Italian seasoning or just make your own with the spices you already have (like I did).
- Preparing a dredging station in advance will also save you a ton of Prep Time. Feel free to use my 3-dish solution or come up with your own custom Dredging station!
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Why This Chicken Milanese Recipe Works
This recipe works because the combination of Grated Parmesan Cheese and Almond Flour creates a nice, crunchy outer coating that is very similar to breadcrumbs in its consistency.
The Blanched almond Flour is Gluten-free, as well, which is also desirable if you follow a gluten-free diet.
The simple homemade Italian seasoning is really what imparts all the delicious flavors of a traditional Chicken Milanese.
Finally, using – or making – your chicken cutlets as thin as possible in advance allows them to cook much more quickly, saving time.
What To Serve With Chicken Milanese
My favorite way to serve this dish is simply by placing the chicken on top of a bed of fresh Arugula salad.
I added lemon juice directly to the Arugula before placing the chicken Milanese on top.
The vibrant peppery flavor of Arugula pairs very nicely with lemon.
You can even drizzle some additional lemon butter sauce directly on top of the salad before plating your chicken breast.
A nice lemon vinaigrette like Valerie’s can be also be added to the Arugula salad before placing the Chicken Milanese on top.
How to Store Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs
For best results you can just coven with a non-stick plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate.
This dish is pretty delicate since the ideal chicken cutlets used will be very thin.
As a result, I wouldn’t refrigerate for more than about one day – less than 24 hours is ideal.
But, frankly, who would ever have any of this dish left over?
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What Do You Think About this Recipe?
I would love to hear your thoughts on my Gluten-Free Chicken Milanese Without Breadcrumbs Recipe?
Is this something you would try?
Have you made this recipe?
If so, do you have any suggestions? Please let me know in the COMMENTS SECTION below!
Until next time…
Happy cooking!
