Pork Milanese

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Pork Milanese is the crispy cutlet you’ll want to make again and again. Thin, breaded, and pan-fried until golden and crisp, pork Milanese (also known as milanesa across Latin America) is a weeknight-friendly dinner that delivers big comfort with minimal fuss. Just like our favorite chicken Milanese, the pork is pounded thin for tenderness, then coated in a crisp Parmesan and Italian-style breadcrumb crust, and pan-fried for a juicy interior and irresistible crunch. For an even faster dinner, pick up pork cutlets to skip the pounding step entirely.

Ingredients

4 (about 3/4-inch-thick) boneless pork loin chops, preferably center cut (4 to 5 ounces each)
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup Italian-style fine breadcrumbs
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely shredded (about 1 cup freshly shredded or 1/2 cup store-bought shredded)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (about 8 sprigs), plus more for garnish
3/4 cup olive oil
1 medium lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Instructions

Pound 1 pork chop at a time: Place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or in a large plastic zip-top bag. Use the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy-bottomed skillet to pound until about 1/4-inch thick.
Place the pork chops on a baking sheet and season all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Place 1/4 cup all-purpose flour on a large plate. Beat 2 large eggs in a wide, shallow bowl with a fork until no streaks of egg white remain. Stir 1 cup Italian-style fine breadcrumbs, 2 ounces finely shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a second wide, shallow bowl.
Working with 1 piece of pork at a time, dredge in the flour mixture, then the eggs, and finally the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs into the pork so they stick. Return to the baking sheet.
Heat 3/4 cup olive oil in a large (12-inch) cast iron or other heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering (a pinch of breadcrumbs dropped into the oil should sizzle immediately). Meanwhile, fit a second baking sheet with a wire rack or line with paper towels.
Working in 2 batches, carefully add the pork to the hot oil. Fry, rotating the cutlets and flipping them halfway, until cooked through and golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady, vigorous bubble. Transfer to the rack or paper towels and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Serve with lemon wedges.