Crispy Pork Milanese Recipe

This pork milanese recipe is all about tender, juicy pork with a light, crispy breading. It’s easier than you might think and turns out absolutely delicious every time.

Inspired by Italian cotoletta alla milanese (made with veal) and chicken milanese, this version made with lean pork chops is quick, budget-friendly, and so tasty. It’s perfect with a squeeze of lemon and a side of lightly dressed salad greens (I especially love it with our lemon vinaigrette!).

Pounding the pork thin is the secret to success. It helps the meat cook quickly and evenly, keeping it juicy inside while the breading turns golden and crisp. From there, you’ll bread and cook the cutlets, either traditionally by pan-frying in oil or in an air fryer (both methods are below!).

Key Ingredients

• Pork Chops: Start with boneless pork chops. I like center-cut or loin-cut chops. This dish works best with thinner cuts, so either buy thin-cut or slice thicker ones in half crosswise to make two thinner pieces. More tips for this are below.
• Flour and Eggs: We use a three-part breading station for this recipe. Step one is to dredge your pork in flour, and step two is to pull them through whisked eggs. I use all-purpose flour.
• Breadcrumbs: After flour and eggs, the third part of the breading is breadcrumbs. I love light and crispy panko breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs.
• Italian Seasoning: We are really generous with the herbs in our breading, so we mix a good amount of Italian seasoning into the breadcrumbs.
• Parmesan Cheese: Optional, but highly recommended. Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano stirred into the breadcrumb mixture takes the milanese-style breading to the next level.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Pork Milanese

Tip 1: Prepare the pork. Start with thin pork chops (see above). Then, pound them even thinner with a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the bottom of a sauce pot.

Pounding helps them cook quickly and evenly, so your breading turns golden before the pork overcooks. As a bonus, it tenderizes the meat, so your pork will turn out tender and juicy.

Tip 2: Set up the breading station. You’ll need three wide, shallow bowls. Add flour to the first. In the second, whisk the eggs and water until smooth. In the third, combine the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and a good pinch of salt.

Tip 3: Bread the pork. I like to work with one chop at a time and use a fork to move it around.

1. Dip it into the flour on both sides, shaking off any excess.
2. Next, coat it in the egg mixture.
3. Finally, press it into the breadcrumbs until evenly covered.

Gently shake off any loose crumbs, then place the breaded pork on a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining chops.

Tip 4: Cook the pork. You have two options. My favorite way to cook them is to pan-fry in a skillet with some oil. You can also use an air fryer. Both cooking methods are provided in the recipe below.

However you cook them, you’ll know they’re perfect when: the coating is crisp and golden and the pork feels firm but still juicy.

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