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    Pork Milanese Bowls

    This bowl features skillet-fried pork cutlets on a bed of bright and lemony parmesan rice. Finish it off with crunchy arugula and juicy cherry tomatoes for a hearty meal we love for lunch or dinner.

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    pork milanese bowls made of Skillet-Fried Pork Cutlets on top of lemon parmesan rice and drizzled with creamy lemon dressing
    Photography by Gayle McLeod
    pork milanese bowls made of Skillet-Fried Pork Cutlets on top of lemon parmesan rice and drizzled with creamy lemon dressing

    What Is Pork Milanese And Why Is It Our Favorite?

    Pork Milanese is one of our favorite techniques for cooking meat because it’s quick, easy, and super tasty–our preferred description for weeknight dinners! Milanese-style entails frying meat that has been breaded. For these pork Milanese bowls we use panko bread crumbs which yield a lighter, flakier coating because they absorb less oil than regular breadcrumbs.

    ingredients in bowls for pork milanese bowls with fried chicken, lemon parmesan rice and creamy lemon dressing
    lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, minced, salt, vinegar, mayonnaise, and olive oil in a bowl for creamy lemon dressing
    creamy lemon dressing in a bowl made with lemon zest & juice, sugar, garlic, minced, salt, vinegar, mayonnaise & olive oil
    raw pounded boneless pork chops on a baking sheet seasoned with salt and pepper

    These Pork Milanese Bowls Offer A Perfect Bite Of Everything

    Making a meal in a bowl with various ingredients ensures that you’ll get a forkful of all the good stuff every time. Starting with a base of lemon parmesan rice (we recommend long grain white rice or jasmine rice), we add slices of satisfyingly crispy pork cutlet, a handful of arugula and halved cherry tomatoes, and finish it all with a drizzle of creamy lemon dressing. Extra points if like us, you need another squeeze of fresh lemon to make everything super jazzy.

    raw pounded pork chops being breaded in egg wash then panko
    raw pork chops breaded with egg wash and panko on a baking sheet ready to be pan-fried
    panko coated boneless pork chops being pan-fried in a skillet to use for pork milanese bowls
    pan-fried breaded pork chops being sliced with a knife on a cutting board to use for pork milanese bowls

    How To Build The Perfect Rice Bowl

    1. Make the rice. For extra flavorful rice, we cook ours with chicken stock and seasoning, and add butter and parmesan (and capers if you’re into a little briny bite) at the end of the cook time.

    2. Pork Milanese is a cooking technique we love because the results make us look like star chefs, when it’s a cinch to pull off. First, tenderize the pork cutlets. Then bread them and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat. Since we tenderized the pork, these cook in about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let cool before slicing.

    3. The creamy lemon dressing can be quickly prepared in a small jar. Just add all of the ingredients to the jar and tighten the lid well before shaking it up.

    4. To build the pork Milanese bowls, start with a little bit of rice, topped with the sliced pork, a tangle of crunchy arugula, halved cherry tomatoes, and a healthy drizzle of creamy lemon dressing.

    rice, chicken broth, garlic powder, lemon zest & juice & butter being added to a pot to make lemon parmesan rice
    Lemon parmesan rice made with chicken broth, garlic powder, lemon zest & juice, butter, parmesan, salt, pepper & capers

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Bountiful Bowls For Your Dining Table

    There’s so many fun ways to serve your next meal in a bowl. Here’s a few of our favorite recipes:

    pork milanese bowls made of Skillet-Fried Pork Cutlets on top of lemon parmesan rice and drizzled with creamy lemon dressing

    A Crunchy, Munchy Bowl

    Did you make these delicious pork Milanese bowls? Share a photo of your meal and maybe even a video of the beautiful people you feed it to. Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

    Related Recipes

    Pork Milanese Bowls

    Originally published: October 27, 2022

    • Serves: 4
    • Prep Time:  25 min
    • Cook Time:  25 min
    • Calories: 714
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    Lemon Parmesan Rice

    • 1 ½ cups long grain white or jasmine rice, rinsed under cold water
    • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • zest and juice of 1 lemon
    • 4 tablespoons salted butter
    • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
    • ¼ cup capers, drained, optional

    Skillet-Fried Pork Cutlets

    • 3 (1-inch thick) boneless pork chops (about 1 pound total)
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 ¼ cups panko
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

    Creamy Lemon Dressing

    • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
    • 1 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
    • ¼ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

    For Serving:

    • lemon wedges
    • arugula
    • cherry tomatoes, cut in half

    Method

    1. Make the rice. To a medium saucepan add the rice, chicken broth, garlic powder, lemon zest and juice, along with 2 tablespoons of the butter, stir to combine.

    2. Turn the heat to high, cook, stirring, until the liquid begins to boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid, turn the heat to low and simmer until tender and all of the liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.

    3. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste and capers, if using.

    4. While the rice is cooking, make the pork. Place 1 pork chop between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound to ¼-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining pork chops. Season on both sides with the salt and pepper.

    5. In a shallow bowl or pie pan, beat the eggs. Place the panko in a separate shallow bowl. Dip each pork chop into the egg, allowing the excess to drip off. Press each pork chop into the panko to coat evenly.

    6. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add 2 pork chops and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pork chops and cook, undisturbed until golden brown on both sides, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining pork chops. Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

    7. Make the dressing. To a jar with a tight fitting lid, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, minced, salt, vinegar, mayonnaise, olive oil. Place the lid on and shake until combined, about 30 seconds. Alternatively you can add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined.

    8. Divide the rice into 4 bowls. Top with sliced pork, arugula, and tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing and an extra squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories714
    • Protein38 g
    • Carbohydrates29 g
    • Total Fat49 g
    • Dietary Fiber1 g
    • Cholesterol198 mg
    • sodium813 mg
    • Total Sugars3 g

    Pork Milanese Bowls

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

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    • Ariana

      Could you substitute boneless skinless chicken breast for the pork? I don’t eat pork but this sounds delicious!

      Sure! Hope you enjoy Ariana!

    • Danielle

      Could you sub out the pork with chicken?

      Sure!

    • Alyssa

      If I have a rice cooker would I cook the rice the same way by adding garlic, lemon, zest, and butter at the beginning?

      Yep! Hope you enjoy Alyssa!

    • Jessica Roach

      Another MP win...my family raved about it, and it was so easy to make. I used greek yogurt in my dressing instead of mayo and even my husband didn't notice/complain. Thank you thank you, for another fabulous recipe!

      Thanks Jessica, we are so happy you and your family enjoyed it!

    • Jana

      We loved everything about this recipe - the crunchy pork, the creamy rice, the tangy dressing. I did allow the kids to use ranch drizzle if the dressing was too much lemon for them, but holy smokes! What flavor! Every. Single. Recipe I have tried from the modern proper is rave worthy.

      Thanks Jana, we are so happy you loved this!

    • Emily Anderson

      I love this recipe so much, it’s on repeat at least once a month. Pretty straightforward and quick, but always friends and family rave about it when I make it. Definitely double dressing for use all week, it’s soo good.

      Wow! That is so fun to hear, thanks Emily!

    • Elizabeth White

      I rarely write comments but I had to this time. I made the rice in my instapot. I let it cook on high pressure for 3 minutes and let it sit for 3 minutes while it depressurized then added the butter and parmesan.
      The dressing was super delicious and clean tasting.
      The pork....I can't rave enough about how the recipe instructed me to make them and they were fork tender. I served it exactly as the recipe showed and OMG!!!! Both my husband and I flipped over the taste sensation from this recipe. I just bought the cookbook and everything so far has been spot on...I am actually enjoying cooking again. Thank you so much!!!

      Thanks you so much Elizabeth, we are so happy you and your husband loved this recipe! Also, we are thrilled you are enjoying the book!

    • Emma Callesen

      I made this for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! I’ve never cooked pork chops before and I never get stovetop rice quite right, but this was so easy to follow! Definitely something I would make again

      Thanks Emma, glad you loved it!