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Argentina, Americas · Milanesa (Argentine Breaded Beef Cutlet)

Mexican-Style Torta de Milanesa

A Mexico City street favourite: crisp chicken milanesa piled into a toasted roll with refried beans, avocado, pickled jalapeños and melted cheese.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time35 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsAlways cook chicken right through (74 °C) and wash hands and tools after touching it raw. Hot oil can burn badly.

Method

  1. If the breast is thick, lay it flat and slice horizontally into two thin cutlets. Pound between cling film to an even 5 mm and season both sides with the salt and garlic powder. One serving is one cutlet about the size of a roll. Wash the board, knife and your hands straight after handling raw chicken.

    Add in this stepChicken breast 260 gSalt ½ tspGarlic powder ½ tsp

  2. Beat the egg in a wide bowl and spread the breadcrumbs on a plate. Dip each cutlet in the egg, let the excess drip off, then press it into the crumbs on both sides with the flat of your hand. Throw away the leftover egg.

    Add in this stepEgg 1Fine dry breadcrumbs 90 g

  3. Prepare the fillings. Halve and stone the avocado, scoop it into a bowl, squeeze in the lime juice and roughly mash with a fork. Slice the tomato into 5 mm rounds, the red onion into very thin rings and the lettuce into 1 cm ribbons.

    Add in this stepRipe avocado 1Lime ½Tomato 1Red onion ¼Romaine lettuce leaves 2

  4. Pour the oil about 7 mm deep into a 26 cm frying pan and heat over medium-high heat for , to 170 °C. A crumb dropped in should sizzle at once and float; if the oil smokes, take the pan off the heat briefly. Never leave hot oil unattended.

    Add in this stepSunflower or neutral oil, for frying 200 ml

    medium-high heat

  5. Lay a cutlet in the oil, away from you, and fry over medium-high heat for until golden, then turn and fry more. Right after turning, lay the cheese on top so it softens while the second side cooks. Cut into the thickest part: no pink and clear juices (74 °C) means it is done. Fry in 2 batch(es) and drain on a rack.

    Add in this stepOaxaca cheese or mozzarella, sliced 80 g

    medium-high heat

  6. Warm the refried beans with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water in a small pan over medium heat for , stirring, until soft and spreadable. Split the rolls and toast them cut side down in a dry frying pan over the same heat for , until crisp.

    Add in this stepCanned refried beans 120 gCrusty rolls (bolillo or telera) or short baguettes 2

    medium heat

  7. Spread the beans on the bottom halves, then layer the cheesy milanesa, avocado, tomato, red onion, jalapeños and lettuce. Spread the mayonnaise on the cut side of the tops, close, press down firmly with your palm, cut in half and eat right away.

    Add in this stepPickled jalapeño slices 2 tbspMayonnaise 2 tbsp

Cook's tip

No refried beans? Warm drained canned pinto or black beans with a little oil and salt, mashing as they heat. For less heat, skip the jalapeños and add a squeeze of lime over the onion instead. Choose a roll with a firm crust; soft bread collapses under the filling.

Cooking it at camp

Bread the chicken at home and keep it in a cooler below 5 °C. At camp, shallow-fry in 5 mm of oil in a deep pan and toast the rolls cut side down on the grill grate for extra flavour. Mash the avocado just before eating so it does not brown.