Chicken is great, it can be roasted, baked, grilled, sautéed, braised, and fried. It’s the most eaten meat in the United States because of how versatile it is and how amazing it can taste in so many different ways. At the same time, if you eat meat, you’ve probably eaten just about every version of chicken that exists. That’s why we try to find new chicken recipes that aren’t as common or well-known in our area, such as Chicken Milanese.
With Chicken Milanese, we can introduce a lot of people to what may become their next new favorite way to eat chicken. It’s scrumptious breaded and pan-fried chicken topped with greens, tomatoes, and a balsamic glaze. This, along with a side of Linguini Aglio E Olio, makes a chicken dish that’s different from the rest.
History of Chicken Milanese
This recipe is believed to have spun out of either one of two dishes, Lombard Veal Milanese or Wiener Schnitzel, or it could be a combination of them both. Lombard Veal Milanese is an Italian dish that uses veal rather than chicken. This recipe dates back to 1134, so its origins are muddled, which makes Chicken Milanese origins a bit muddled as well.
Wiener Schnitzel may seem like an odd connection, but the recipe actually physically resembles Chicken Milanese more than Veal Milanese in some instances. The Veal Milanese recipe is also believed to have either spawned or spawned from the Wiener Schnitzel recipe.
The veal in this Austrian dish is pan-fried similar to how we pan-fry our chicken recipe. Both of these recipes also made their way to where Chicken Milanese originates, South America, lending even more credence to their claims.
South America
Across the continent between the 1860s and 1920s, Italian immigrants brought over several variants of the Milanese. There were many different versions that continued to use veal, but also pork, beef, fish, and chicken. Eventually, as chicken became the most widely available meat across South America and North America, chicken became one of if not the most popular meat for Milanese dishes.
Milanese was first sold in restaurants in 1940. It was served in Restaurante Napoli, an Argentinian restaurant owned by Jorge La Grotta. Their most popular variation used ham rather than chicken.
North America
It was around the same time that Restaurante Napoli opened up that the Milanese style of preparing meat had spread into North America in a big way. The recipe grew in popularity in Mexico before sweeping across the states that bordered the country. It was actually served as part of a sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, and mayonnaise before being used with a tortilla.
As it spread across the United States over the years, it eventually fell more in line with how the original recipe was served. That’s the basic history of how Chicken Milanese became the recipe we have today.
Try Chicken Milanese at Cork Bar & Restaurant
Chicken Milanese is one of our favorite chicken recipes, and it’s one of the best entrees you can order when you visit. It’s especially perfect if you’re looking for a new chicken dish to try out that stands apart from all the other chicken dishes you’ve had, without becoming something unfamiliar.
To plan your next dinner, make a reservation online. Reservations for outdoor dining in our heated igloos can be made here.