Torta de Milanesa de Pollo (Breaded Chicken Torta)
Crisp breaded chicken in a soft toasted roll with refried beans, avocado, pickled jalapeños and fresh pico. The ultimate Mexican sandwich.
Made with Fresh pico de gallo and Escabeche (pickled jalapenos and carrots) and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.66 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the chicken pieces between two sheets of baking paper and bash with a rolling pin to about 5 mm thick. Season well with salt and pepper.
- 2
Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three shallow dishes. Coat each piece of chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, pressing the crumbs on firmly.
- 3
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat to about 175C. Fry the chicken for 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through with no pink. Drain on kitchen paper.
6 min - 4
While the chicken cooks, warm the refried beans (see the base recipe) in a small pan until steaming hot all the way through.
- 5
Split the rolls and toast them cut side down in a dry pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the bottoms with beans and the tops with mayonnaise.
2 min - 6
Layer on the chicken, avocado, lettuce, escabeche (see the base recipe) and your ready made pico de gallo (see the base recipe). Close the rolls, press gently and serve straight away.
Tips
- Bash the chicken evenly thin so it cooks quickly and stays juicy under the crust.
- Let the oil heat properly before frying. Cooler oil makes the breadcrumbs soak up grease.
- Spread the beans on the bottom half to act as a barrier against moisture from the pico.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Cooked milanesas keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and can be reheated in a hot oven for 10 minutes until steaming hot all the way through. Build the tortas fresh.
Questions
Can I bake the chicken instead of frying?
Yes. Spray or brush the breaded chicken with oil and bake on a hot tray at 220C for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked through. It is a little less crisp but lighter.
What bread is best for a torta?
A bolillo, a crusty Mexican white roll with a soft inside. In the UK, soft crusty white rolls or ciabatta rolls work well. Toasting the cut sides keeps the filling from soaking in.
Can I use beef or pork instead?
Yes. Milanesa is made with thin beef or pork cutlets too. Bash them thin, bread them the same way and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
More made with fresh pico de gallo
Totopos con Guacamole y Pico de Gallo (Chips with Guacamole and Fresh Salsa)
GFDFEFPescado a la Parrilla con Cítricos (Citrus Grilled Fish Fillets)
GFDFEFFrijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans with Chorizo)
GFDFEFTostadas de Atún con Chipotle (Chipotle Tuna Tostadas)
GFDFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.