Chicken Milanese vs Schnitzel: What's the Difference?

Chicken Milanese vs schnitzel: if you have ever stood in front of a menu wondering whether these are the same dish with a fancier name, you are not alone. Both are thin pieces of chicken, coated in breadcrumbs and fried until golden. Both come with lemon. Both are comfort food at its best. Yet Italians and Austrians would both tell you, with some passion, that their version is the original and the other one is the copy.

In this guide, we explain the real difference between Milanese and schnitzel, where each comes from, how they are cooked, and how Australia made the chicken schnitzel its own. We also share where to find a seriously good crispy chicken lunch in Port Lincoln.

The Milanese comes from Milan, in Lombardy, northern Italy. The original cotoletta alla milanese was not chicken at all but a bone-in veal cutlet cut from the rib, dipped in egg and fine breadcrumbs and fried in butter. Milan treats it as one of its signature dishes. The word "Milanese" simply means "in the style of Milan", and over time it came to describe any thin, crumbed cutlet cooked that way, including chicken, pork and eggplant.

Schnitzel comes from Austria, where the most famous version is the Wiener Schnitzel (Viennese schnitzel). Here the meat is a boneless veal escalope taken from the leg, pounded very thin and traditionally fried in lard. As SBS Food points out, the dish is so revered in Austria that a Wiener Schnitzel must, by law, be made with veal. Made with pork or chicken, it becomes a "Viennese-style" schnitzel instead. Germany has its own family of schnitzels, from plain Schweineschnitzel to sauced versions like the Jägerschnitzel.

Who came first? Nobody can say for sure. One popular theory, mentioned by Gourmet Traveller in its Wiener schnitzel recipe, is that the Milanese costoletta crossed the Alps with Italian migrants and later morphed into the Wiener Schnitzel. Austrians, unsurprisingly, have their own version of the story. What is certain is that the two dishes grew up side by side in a region where Italian and Austrian cultures overlapped for centuries.

Summary: Chicken Milanese descends from the cotoletta alla milanese, a bone-in veal cutlet from Milan fried in butter, while schnitzel is the boneless Austrian Wiener Schnitzel. Their origins are intertwined, and both cities still claim the original.

On the plate, the two can look almost identical. The differences are in the details: cut, crumb, fat and what goes alongside.

The most telling difference is the crust. A traditional schnitzel is fried in plenty of fat while the pan is gently shaken, so the crumb puffs up and forms little waves away from the meat. Austrians call this soufflieren. A Milanese crust is meant to cling tightly to the cutlet, and the parmesan in many modern recipes gives it a nuttier, more savoury flavour and a deeper golden colour.

Is chicken Milanese healthier than schnitzel? Not really: both are crumbed and fried. A Milanese cooked in a little butter and served with a big rocket salad can feel lighter than a pub schnitzel with chips and gravy, but the difference is mostly in the sides.

💡 Tip: To spot a proper schnitzel, look at the crust. If it ripples and lifts away from the meat in golden waves, the cook knew what they were doing. If it is flat and tight, you are closer to a Milanese.

Summary: The key difference between chicken Milanese and schnitzel is in the crumb, the cooking fat and the crust: parmesan and butter for Milanese, plain crumbs and a puffed, wavy crust for schnitzel.

In Australia, the chicken schnitzel is far more than a European import: it is a national institution. You will find it on the menu of almost every pub in the country, often affectionately called a "schnitty", and it fills school lunchboxes and supermarket delis from Darwin to Port Lincoln.

South Australia has a special place in this story. German settlers arrived from 1839, founding villages such as Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, where schnitzel is still a menu staple, while post-war Italian migrants brought their veal cotolette. Veal was the norm for a long time; chicken only took over once it became cheap and easy to buy in pieces. As historian Colin Bannerman told Broadsheet, frozen whole chooks were the norm in the '60s and '70s, and chicken only appeared cut into portions in the '80s and '90s. From then on, the chicken schnitzel became a pub staple, served with chips, salad and a choice of gravy, mushroom or pepper sauce.

Then came the parma (or "parmi", depending on which state you are in): a chicken schnitzel topped with napoli sauce, often ham, and melted cheese. Broadsheet's history of the chicken parmigiana traces an early Australian mention to Adelaide's The Mail newspaper in 1953, and ABC News reports that it moved from restaurants into pubs in the 1980s. Despite the Italian name, it is a thoroughly Australian creation, and "parma night" at the local is a weekly ritual in many towns. South Australians tend to say "schnitzel" and "parmi" loudly and proudly, while Victorians insist on "parma". Wherever you are, the debate is part of the fun.

The chicken Milanese, by contrast, lives mostly in cafés and Italian restaurants in Australia. It is usually served lighter, with a sharp rocket and parmesan salad, which makes it a popular lunch choice when you want something crisp without the full pub experience.

Summary: The chicken schnitzel became an Australian pub classic once chicken got cheaper in the '80s, building on German and Italian migration, and gave birth to the parma (or parmi), while chicken Milanese is more of a café and Italian restaurant dish in Australia.

Whether you are making a Milanese or a schnitzel at home, the method starts the same way, with the classic three-step crumbing station: flour, beaten egg, breadcrumbs.

1. Flatten the chicken. Butterfly a breast or slice it in half horizontally, then pound it between two sheets of baking paper to an even 5 mm. Even thickness means even cooking.

2. Season every layer. Salt the chicken, and season the flour too. Unseasoned layers are the most common reason a schnitzel tastes bland.

3. Crumb lightly. For a schnitzel, press the crumbs on gently and do not compact them, so the crust can puff. For a Milanese, mix two parts fine breadcrumbs with one part finely grated parmesan and press firmly.

4. Use enough fat. For schnitzel, use about 1 cm of oil (with a knob of butter for flavour) and swirl the pan so the oil washes over the top. For Milanese, use clarified butter or a mix of butter and oil over medium heat.

5. Rest on a rack, not paper. A wire rack keeps the underside crisp. Season with flaky salt and serve straight away with plenty of lemon.

💡 Tip: Panko breadcrumbs give an extra-crunchy result that many Australian cafés love, but they will not puff like a classic schnitzel crumb. Choose fine crumbs if you want the traditional look.

Summary: For a great crumbed chicken at home, pound the meat evenly, season every layer, and choose loose plain crumbs for schnitzel or parmesan crumbs pressed firmly for Milanese.

At L'Anse French Café, we take the same care with our lunch menu that we take with our croissants. Our Crispy Chicken on brioche bun is our answer to the crumbed-chicken craving: golden crispy chicken in a house-made brioche bun with cheddar, crunchy cabbage slaw, sriracha mayo and a touch of chilli jam, with chips available on the side. It is crisp, juicy and just a little bit cheeky, somewhere between an Aussie pub classic and a French café lunch.

Photo: L'Anse French Café, Port Lincoln. Replace with the current Crispy Chicken bun photo if the presentation has changed.

If you are looking for where to eat chicken schnitzel or crispy chicken in Port Lincoln without heading to a pub, this is a great option for a relaxed lunch. Burger lovers can also try our Smoky Beef on brioche bun, which helped earn our reputation for the best burger in Port Lincoln. And if you are a fan of European classics with a story, you will enjoy our guide to croque monsieur vs croque madame, another delicious cross-border debate.

Lunch at L'Anse is served from 11:30am, and the kitchen closes at 2pm. Before that, our breakfast in Port Lincoln is served from opening, so you can come for a flat white and stay for lunch. Keep an eye on the specials board too: our chef regularly runs seasonal specials that put a French twist on comfort-food favourites.

💡 Local tip: Visiting for the day from Coffin Bay or Tumby Bay? Arrive just after 11:30am to beat the lunch rush, or reserve a table online for weekends and school holidays.

Summary: For crispy chicken in Port Lincoln, our Crispy Chicken on brioche bun at L'Anse French Café is served from 11:30am, alongside the Smoky Beef burger and a rotating chef's special.

There is no wrong answer. Choose a Milanese when you want something a little lighter and more elegant, with parmesan, butter and a fresh salad. Choose a schnitzel when you want the full golden, crunchy comfort-food experience. And when you are in Port Lincoln, come and try our crispy chicken, then tell us which side of the debate you are on.

Sources :

https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/food-and-drink/article/brief-history-chicken-parmigiana 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-05/where-the-chicken-parmigiana-come-from/11277414 

https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipe/mains/wiener-schnitzel-8712/ 

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/schnitzel-should-be-bigger-than-the-plate-thats-the-rule/46qhh3x7u 

https://southaustralia.com/destinations/adelaide-hills/places/hahndorf 

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipe/herb-crumbed-chicken-cotoletta-di-pollo/5hrtcqpk6 

https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/adam-liaw-writes-in-defence-of-the-chicken-parma-20190911-h1hxi9 

L'Anse French Café menu (2026)