Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Spring Vegetables, Burrata & Pesto
I think of this as a Spring Chicken Milanese. Top a crispy oven baked chicken cutlet with some roasted spring vegetables, burrata cheese and pesto. It's fresh, healthy and so satisfying.
Spring Chicken Milanese
Chicken cutlets get topped with roasted spring vegetables in an apple cider vinaigrette, creamy burrata cheese and pesto. Not only is this beautiful on the eyes, but it feels fresh, light and so satisfying. Along with the vegetables, zesty vinaigrette and bright herbs, you get the salty crunch of the chicken cutlet and creaminess of the burrata cheese. I like to bake the chicken cutlets in the oven or even air fry them to keep the meal on the lighter side.
What you'll need
Main Ingredients
- Chicken Cutlets – Thinly sliced chicken that get’s pounded to 1/4 inch thick.
- Pesto – Buy a jar of store bought to save time or make your own. If you need a recipe I have a great one HERE
- Burrata Cheese – Similar to fresh mozzarella cheese except it’s filled with cream which gives it that luscious center when you break it open.
- Vegetables – I like to use: fennel, shallots, artichokes, radishes and cherry tomatoes. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you want!
- Vinaigrette – Use your favorite store bought vinaigrette as a short cut or make the one given in this recipe which is super quick and yummy. I use: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, honey and Italian seasoning.
Prepare the Chicken Cutlets
- Use store bought thinly sliced chicken breast or slice the chicken breast yourself along the horizontal center – You can buy thinly sliced chicken that is already sliced thin for you in the store or do it yourself which is always more cost effective.
- Pound each piece of chicken to a 1/4 inch thickness – Lay a piece of chicken between two layers of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy pan pound the chicken to a uniform thickness of about 1/4 inch.
Bread the Chicken Cutlets
- Set up the breading station: flour, eggs and breadcrumbs.
- Set up three shallow bowls or plates. Place the flour in one, eggs in another and breadcrumbs in the last.
- Season the flour. Whisk to combine.
- Add Pesto to the eggs. Whisk to combine.
- Combine breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese. Whisk to combine
- Bread the chicken:
- Coat your chicken in flour and shake off the excess.
- Coat it in the Eggs & Pesto again allowing the excess to drip off.
- Coat it in the breadcrumbs pressing them into the chicken to make sure they are adhered.
- Place the breaded chicken cutlets on a roasting rack set on top of a sheet pan. This will help keep them dry so they crisp up better.
Roast The Vegetables & Chicken Cutlets
Slice and Chop the vegetables
- Shallots – Cut each end off and peel off the outer skin. Slice.
- Fennel – Cut the top off. Cut a V to remove the core. Slice.
- Radishes – Remove the leaves and reserve for plating. Cut each radish in half.
- Artichokes – Buy whole or quartered artichokes. If whole, cut each artichoke in half.
- Cherry Tomatoes -Place them on the sheet pan whole.
Make the Vinaigrette
- Whisk the following ingredients in a medium sized bowl:
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- Arrange the vegetables on a sheet pan & drizzle with a couple tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss.
- Roast at 425° for about 30 minutes until they start to get caramelized and brown.
For the Chicken
- Spray the Chicken Cutlets with cooking spray on both sides
- Halfway through the vegetables roasting, place the chicken in the oven and cook for 15-18 minutes.
- Air Fryer Option: Spray the chicken cutlets with cooking spray on both sides. Pre-heat the air fryer at 400° for 5 minutes. Air Fry the cutlets at 400° for 8-9 minutes until the internal temperature registers 165°. Flip halfway through.
To Serve
- Plate the chicken
- Top with some of the radish leaves (or arugula) & the roasted vegetables
- Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette
- Top with burrata cheese
- Drizzle Pesto on top
- Garnish with fennel fronds
Can you make this ahead?
Yes, you can make and bread the chicken cutlets in advance.
- If using the same day, Place the whole sheet pan, with the chicken on the roasting rack, in the refrigerator. No need to cover. This will help dry it out more, similar to a dry brine, to help it get crispy.
- Freezing Option – Follow the directions for the chicken cutlets all the way up to breading them. After they are breaded, place them on a sheet pan, making sure not to touch, and flash freeze for 30 min. Wrap each breaded chicken cutlet in plastic wrap and then store in a gallon sized freezer bag for up to 3 months. Unthaw and bring to room temperature before using.
Yes, you can roast the vegetables in advance
- Follow the directions to roast the vegetables and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Servings: 0
Equipment
- 1 Meat Mallet
- 1 Sheet Pan
- 1 Roasting Rack
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 3 Shallow Bowls or Plates
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Honey
- 1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
Spring Chicken Milanese
- 4 Chicken Cutlets Thinly Sliced Chicken Breast
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tbsp Pesto
- 1/2 Cup Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 Cup Panko
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 Tbsp Parsley chopped
- 2 Medium Shallots sliced
- 1 Fennel Bulb sliced
- 1 Bunch Radishes tops removed and leaves reserved, cut in half
- 1 Can Artichokes whole or quartered
- 1 Container Cherry Tomatoes
Instructions
Make the Vinaigrette
- Whisk all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette together in a medium bowl.
Chicken Cutlets & Roasted Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 425°
- Prepare the breading station with three shallow dishes. One with flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. The second with eggs and two tablespoons pesto. The third with breadcrumbs, panko, parmesan cheese and parsley. Whisk or mix to combine.
- Dredge the chicken cutlets in flour and then the eggs allowing the excess to drip off. Last, coat in the breadcrumbs pressing them on to throughly coat. Place on a wire roasting rack on top of a sheet pan.
- Arrange the sliced and halved vegetables on a sheet pan and drizzle with a 1-2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss to coat.
- Roast the vegetables in a 425° oven for about 30 minutes or until they start to caramelize and brown.
- Halfway through the vegetables roasting, spray the chicken with cooking spray on both sides and bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes.
To Serve
- Plate the chicken cutlet, top with some of the reserved radish leaves (or arugula) and roasted vegetables. Drizzle with some more of the vinaigrette.
- Top with burrata cheese. Drizzle with pesto and garnish with some of the fennel fronds.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!