Spelt chicken Milanese with rocket is a breaded chicken cutlet, coated in spelt flour and spelt breadcrumbs, pan-fried until crisp, then topped with a peppery rocket salad and lemon. The crust turns deep golden in under 4 minutes per side, and the center stays juicy at 165 F / 74 C.
The spelt crumb stays light rather than heavy, because spelt absorbs less oil than plain white flour during frying. That keeps the cutlet crisp without feeling greasy on the plate.
Pound the chicken evenly before breading. If one side of the cutlet stays thicker than the other, the thin edge dries out before the thick center finishes cooking.
This is a straightforward weeknight dinner. You can bread the cutlets ahead and fry them fresh when you’re ready to eat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crisp spelt crumb stays light, not greasy
- Ready in 40 minutes start to finish
- Cutlets can be breaded ahead of time
- High-protein dinner with a fresh rocket salad
Ingredient Notes
- chicken breasts: Pound to an even 1 cm / 0.4 inch thickness so all four cutlets cook at the same rate.
- spelt flour: Gives the crumb a lighter bite than plain flour. Whole wheat flour works as a substitute but tastes slightly denser.
- spelt breadcrumbs: Dry, unsweetened spelt bread pulsed into crumbs. Plain white breadcrumbs work too but lose the nuttier flavor.
- parmesan: Mixed into the crumb for a savory crust, plus extra shaved on top. Pecorino is a sharper substitute.
- rocket: Peppery and slightly bitter, it balances the fried crust. Baby spinach is a milder swap.
- lemon: Fresh juice in the dressing and wedges on the side cut through the richness of the crumb.
Crisp Spelt Chicken Milanese with Rocket and Lemon
Description
Golden spelt-crumbed chicken cutlets, pan-fried until crisp, rest on a rack, then top with peppery rocket, lemon, and shaved parmesan.
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the rocket salad
Instructions
- Butterfly each chicken breast horizontally, then pound between plastic wrap to an even 1 cm / 0.4 inch thickness, making 4 cutlets.
- Set up three shallow bowls: spelt flour mixed with salt and pepper, beaten eggs, and spelt breadcrumbs mixed with the 40 g grated parmesan.
- Dredge each cutlet in the flour, shaking off excess, dip in egg, then press into the breadcrumb mixture until both sides are evenly coated.
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, around 175 C / 350 F.
- Fry the cutlets in 2 batches of 2, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the crust is deep golden and the internal temperature reaches 165 F / 74 C.
- Transfer the cutlets to a wire rack and let them rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Toss the rocket and cherry tomatoes with the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Plate the cutlets, top with the rocket salad and shaved parmesan, and serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 505kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 24g37%
- Saturated Fat 6g30%
- Cholesterol 190mg64%
- Sodium 680mg29%
- Potassium 550mg16%
- Total Carbohydrate 21g8%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 2g
- Protein 50g100%
- Vitamin A 900 IU
- Vitamin C 15 mg
- Calcium 180 mg
- Iron 2.5 mg
- Vitamin D 10 IU
- Vitamin E 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K 40 mcg
- Thiamin 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin 0.3 mg
- Niacin 12 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.6 mg
- Folate 35 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.4 mcg
- Phosphorus 320 mg
- Magnesium 45 mg
- Zinc 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Pound cutlets to an even thickness before breading, not after.
- Keep oil at a steady 175 C / 350 F for an even crust.
- Rest fried cutlets on a rack, not a plate.
- Dress the rocket only right before plating.
