Chicken Milanesa Torta
Golden, Crispy Chicken Milanesa Tortas at Home
There’s nothing quite like a good torta, especially when it’s stuffed with crispy chicken milanesa and plenty of toppings. This Chicken Milanesa Torta starts with thin chicken cutlets that are lightly seasoned, breaded and fried until golden and crisp. Then everything gets tucked into buttery toasted telera bread with avocado, queso fresco, pickled jalapeños and carrots, fresh tomato and onion, and plenty of Mexican crema. It’s crunchy, creamy, a little spicy and definitely a two-hands kind of sandwich.
Related Recipe: Nopales Vestidos
Milanesa is a favorite in Mexican home cooking, made with a thin piece of beef or chicken that’s breaded and fried until golden and crispy. You’ll find it served as a simple meal with rice, beans or salad, but it’s just as commonly tucked into a bolillo or telera for a torta. Tortas de milanesa are especially popular at casual lunch spots, mercados and neighborhood torterías throughout Mexico.
Like most Mexican tortas, the fillings can vary depending on where you order one and what you have on hand. This version layers crispy chicken milanesa with avocado, queso fresco, tomato, onion, pickled jalapeños and carrots, and plenty of Mexican crema. It’s hearty, crunchy, creamy and a little spicy, exactly what I want in a good torta.
Ingredient Suggestions
One of the best things about tortas is how easy they are to adjust depending on what you can find or already have at home. Here are a few substitutions that work well for this Chicken Milanesa Torta.
- Chicken breast: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used instead. Pound them to an even thickness so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Telera bread: If you can’t find teleras, bolillos are the best substitute. A soft French roll or another sturdy sandwich roll will also work.
- Breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs give the milanesa a classic coating, but panko breadcrumbs can be used for an extra-crispy crust.
- Queso fresco: Substitute panela for a similar mild Mexican cheese. You can also use Oaxaca cheese if you prefer something softer.
- Mexican crema: Crème fraîche or sour cream can be used in place of Mexican crema. If using sour cream, thin it with a splash of milk until it’s easy to drizzle.
- Pickled jalapeños and carrots: Use sliced pickled jalapeños on their own, or substitute fresh jalapeño if you prefer more heat and less tang.
- Red onion: White onion is a great substitute and is commonly used in Mexican tortas.
- Vegetable oil: Canola, corn or another neutral oil suitable for frying can be used instead.
Tips for the Best Chicken Milanesa Torta
- Pound the chicken evenly. The goal isn’t simply to make the chicken thin. You want the entire cutlet to be about the same thickness so it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
- Set up your breading station before you start. Arrange the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in that order. Keeping everything organized makes breading the chicken much easier and less messy.
- Use one hand for dry ingredients and one for wet. Use one hand to dredge the chicken in flour and breadcrumbs and the other for the beaten eggs. It’s a simple trick that keeps your fingers from becoming breaded too.
- Make sure the oil is hot before frying. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the breadcrumbs will absorb too much oil instead of becoming crisp. The chicken should begin sizzling as soon as it hits the pan.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Fry the cutlets in batches if necessary. Adding too much chicken at once lowers the temperature of the oil and can leave you with soggy breading.
- Toast the bread. This small step makes a big difference. Buttering and toasting the cut sides of the telera gives the torta another layer of flavor and helps prevent the bread from getting soggy once the avocado and crema are added.
- Assemble right before serving. Milanesa is at its best while it’s still hot and crispy, so have your toppings sliced and ready before you begin frying.
Storage and Reheating
- These tortas are best assembled and eaten immediately, but the chicken milanesa can easily be prepared ahead of time.
- Store leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken separate from the bread and toppings so everything stays fresh.
- To reheat the milanesa, use an oven, toaster oven or air fryer rather than the microwave. Heat at 375°F until warmed through and crispy again. The microwave works in a pinch, but the breading will soften.
- Mashed avocado is best prepared just before serving. If you do have leftovers, press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the avocado and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
- I don’t recommend storing fully assembled tortas because the crema, avocado, tomato and pickled vegetables will eventually make the bread soggy.
FAQs
Yes. Lightly spray both sides of the breaded chicken with cooking oil and air fry at 400°F, turning halfway through, until golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your cutlets and your air fryer.
Bolillos are the easiest substitute and are also commonly used for Mexican tortas. A soft French roll can work too. Look for bread with a tender interior and enough structure to hold all of the fillings without falling apart.
Yes. You can pound and season the chicken earlier in the day and keep it covered in the refrigerator. You can also cook the milanesa ahead and reheat it in the oven or air fryer just before assembling the tortas.
Tortas are easy to customize. Try shredded lettuce, refried beans, sliced chiles, Oaxaca cheese or panela, depending on what you have on hand. You can also add a little salsa, but I like to keep it on the side so the crispy chicken stays crispy.
Chicken Milanesa Torta
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Makes 4
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This Chicken Milanesa Torta is loaded with crispy breaded chicken, creamy avocado, queso fresco, pickled jalapeños and carrots, fresh tomato and onion, and a generous drizzle of Mexican crema. Everything is piled onto a buttery toasted telera for a hearty Mexican sandwich that’s crunchy, creamy and just a little spicy.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 4 telera breads, sliced in half
- 2 large avocados, mashed
- 1 (10 ounce) queso fresco, sliced
- ½ cup pickled jalapeños with carrots, drained
- 1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
- ¼ piece red onion, sliced
- 1 cup Mexican cream or crème fraiche
Instructions
- Cut each breast crosswise into thin cutlets. Place each cutlet in between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with meat mallet until thickness is even across each cutlet.
- In a large shallow bowl, stir together milk, garlic salt and pepper. Add cutlets, cover and let soak for 20 minutes.
- On a working surface, place three shallow bowls to coat the chicken. In the first bowl, place flour and garlic powder, in the second bowl, place beaten eggs, in the third bowl stir together bread crumbs, salt and paprika.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Pat dry the chicken cutlets and dredge each cutlet through the flour, the eggs and breadcrumbs, in that order. Carefully place each cutlet in hot oil. Fry 5 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1 ½-inch strips.
- Spread butter in the cut side of each bread. Place on a hot skillet, buttered side down until edges brown.
- Spread one half with mashed avocado, layer with 3-4 slices queso fresco, pickled jalapeños and carrots, 3 chicken cutlet strips, tomato slices, onion slices, and a generous drizzle of cream. Close torta with the top half of telera bread.
