I love fried chicken, but this Pollo Milanese offers a healthier alternative, allowing me to stay on track with my training. By swapping the deep fryer for an air fryer, I’ve reduced the amount of excessive oil, saturated fats, and calories. I serve this with spaghetti in tomato sauce and an easy rocket salad for a nutritionally complete meal.
What is Pollo Milanese?
Pollo means chicken in Italian, and this dish originates from Milan. The Milanese element of the name refers to the city of Milan, indicating that the dish is cooked in the traditional Milanese style. For this reason, some people may refer to Pollo Milanese as Chicken Milanese.
Like its Austrian counterpart, Wiener Schnitzel, the classic version of this recipe typically uses veal. However, the Milanese versions use bone-in cutlets fried in butter. In modern English-speaking countries, chicken has become a more popular version. Chicken breast is predominantly used, but pork chops can also be used quickly to add variety to your nutrition.
Traditional cooking involves coating the meat in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs using a technique known as “pané.” The breaded meat is then deep-fried or pan-fried in butter or oil. However, I’ve tweaked those recipes to use an air fryer, resulting in a lighter fried chicken.
Ingredients in Pollo Milanese
Chicken Breast—Chicken breasts are low in fat and high in protein, making them perfect for muscle recovery and helping to keep us feeling full. To make this Pollo Milanese recipe, we need to butterfly the chicken. It may add an element of labour to this recipe, but it results in quicker, more even cooking. I’ve provided a guide here if you’re unsure about how to do this.
Parmesan – Parmesan is one of the healthier cheeses as it’s lower in calories and a source of healthy fats. It adds much-needed calcium, which helps build strong bones that can withstand the impact of running. I use it in the breadcrumbs, to finish my spaghetti, and in my rocket salad.
Homemade Tomato Sauce—I like to be in control. By making my own tomato sauce, I can control the amount of sugar and preservatives, empowering me to create a healthier version of this classic dish. However, if you’re too busy, you can find good fresh tomato sauces nowadays.
Spaghetti—I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like spaghetti. However, tradition dictates the use of this type of long pasta, so I’ve included it here. It’s a great source of carbohydrates and will help fuel your next endurance event. Wholewheat pasta will offer more fibre and help you feel full for longer. However, white pasta provides an instant boost of glycogen, making it perfect for pre-run meals.
The Benefits of an Air Fryer
I’ve specified the cooking method in the title of this Pollo Milanese, as it fits the theme of my blog. Here are a few benefits of choosing an air fryer over traditional methods, such as deep frying.
- Less Oil—Compared to deep–fat frying, using an air fryer reduces the amount of oil absorbed by foods by up to 75%, resulting in fewer calories and less saturated fat.
- Lower Fat—The traditional way of cooking pollo Milanese is to fry it in butter. However, the air fryer retains the texture while reducing the high saturated fat content in the recipe.
- Texture—Panko breadcrumbs crisp up without the need for excess fat when you use an air fryer.
Air Fryer Pollo Milanese
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 4 Chicken Breasts Butterflied
- 70 g Plain Flour
- 2 Eggs
- 70 g Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp Oregano
- 1 Tbsp Parmesan Freshly Grated
- Salt
- 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil in a spray bottle.
For the Sauce
- 30 ml Extra virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Large Onion Chopped
- 1 Large Carrot Chopped
- 2 Sticks of Celery Chopped
- 3 Garlic Cloves Chopped
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 800 g Chopped Tomatoes
- 400 g Chicken Stock
- 6-7 Picked Basil Leaves
To Serve
- 300 g Spaghetti
- 1 Serving Rocket Salad
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook until the sauce has thickened. Add the basil and blend the sauce using a hand blender until smooth.
For the Chicken
- On a large enough plate, place the flour and season with salt & pepper. On another plate, add the beaten eggs. Combine the parmesan, oregano, and breadcrumbs and mix well. Place the breadcrumb mixture on a third plate.
- To “pane” the chicken, coat each breast in flour. Shake off the excess, then dip the floured breasts into the egg, ensuring they are well coated. Shake off the excess and then dip the chicken breast into the bread crumb mix until evenly coated. Set each breast aside until all the chicken breasts are coated with breadcrumbs.
- Place each breast in an air fryer basket in a single layer and spray each breast with a light coating of olive oil.
- Air fry at 200°C for 6-8 minutes. Turn each breast over and spray with a bit of extra olive oil. Air fry again for another 6-8 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 75 °C on a meat thermometer.
To Finish
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 10-12 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the blended sauce.
- Season to taste and finish with a little extra parmesan if preferred. Lay the air-fried chicken breasts next to the pasta and serve it with a simple rocket salad.
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