Name: Crispy Bagel-Crusted Chicken Milanesa with Chorizo-Barbecue Meatballs and French Herb Cream Cheese Sauce
Prep time: 27 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds chicken breast (pounded thin, ½ inch thickness); 2 large bagels (toasted and finely crushed into breadcrumbs); 1 cup Pringles (crushed into fine crumbs); 2 large eggs (beaten); ½ cup milk; 1 pound meatballs and spaghetti (meatballs separated, sauce reserved); 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce; 2 tablespoons beef jerky (finely minced); 1 pound dry pasta (penne or rigatoni); 4 tablespoons cream cheese (softened); 3 tablespoons apple butter/jam; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 1 medium onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); ½ cup corn kernels; 1 cup spinach (chopped); ½ cup cheese (shredded, preferably cheddar); 3 tablespoons water; 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (additional for finishing); 1 teaspoon sugar; Salt and pepper to taste; Oil for frying (approximately 2 tablespoons)

Crispy Bagel-Crusted Chicken Milanesa with Chorizo-Barbecue Meatballs and French Herb Cream Cheese Sauce

A bold four-cuisine fusion dish featuring Italian-style breaded chicken cutlets with an American bagel-Pringles crust, topped with Mexican chorizo-spiced barbecue meatballs, served over creamy French-inspired pasta with a tangy apple butter and cream cheese sauce. This unexpected combination delivers crispy textures, bold flavors, and culinary adventure in every bite.

55 min

Medium

4 servings

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Taste Profile

Sweet6/10

Salty7/10

Sour2/10

Umami7/10

Spicy3/10

🥄 Texture

The dish contrasts a very crunchy, bagel-and-Pringles crusted chicken exterior with tender, juicy pounded chicken inside. The pasta is creamy and slightly saucy with pops of sweet corn and soft wilted spinach, while the meatballs add a meaty, chewy bite and a melty shredded-cheese finish.

👃 Aroma

A smoky-barbecue and meaty aroma from the meatballs and beef jerky is front and center, layered with fried/bready notes from the bagel crust. Underneath are sweet-fruity hints from the apple butter and jam, plus savory garlic and onion and a faint peanut/cream-cheese nuttiness.

🍷 Pairs Well With

A crisp, citrusy pale ale to cut the richness (or an off-dry Riesling if you prefer wine) — both will balance the sweet-barbecue notes and refresh the palate.

🥗 Side Dishes

A bright green salad with lemon vinaigrette or a tangy quick-pickled slaw to cut richness; roasted or grilled asparagus or broccolini for a slightly charred vegetable; or simple roasted potatoes/sweet potatoes for a comforting starch.

Ingredients(22 items)

11.5 pounds chicken breast (pounded thin, ½ inch thickness)

22 large bagels (toasted and finely crushed into breadcrumbs)

31 cup Pringles (crushed into fine crumbs)

42 large eggs (beaten)

5½ cup milk

61 pound meatballs and spaghetti (meatballs separated, sauce reserved)

73 tablespoons barbecue sauce

82 tablespoons beef jerky (finely minced)

91 pound dry pasta (penne or rigatoni)

104 tablespoons cream cheese (softened)

113 tablespoons apple butter/jam

122 tablespoons peanut butter

131 medium onion (diced)

142 cloves garlic (minced)

15½ cup corn kernels

161 cup spinach (chopped)

17½ cup cheese (shredded, preferably cheddar)

183 tablespoons water

192 tablespoons barbecue sauce (additional for finishing)

201 teaspoon sugar

21Salt and pepper to taste

22Oil for frying (approximately 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

Prepare the bagel-Pringles crust by toasting 2 bagels until golden, then pulse in a food processor until fine breadcrumb consistency. Mix with crushed Pringles in a shallow bowl.

Set up three shallow bowls: one with milk mixed with ½ cup water, one with beaten eggs mixed with 2 tablespoons milk, and one with the bagel-Pringles mixture.

Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Pound each breast to ½ inch thickness using a meat mallet.

Dredge each chicken breast in the milk mixture, then coat thoroughly in the egg mixture, and finally press firmly into the bagel-Pringles crust, ensuring full coverage on both sides.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, carefully place breaded chicken cutlets and fry for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

In the same skillet, sauté diced onion over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the separated meatballs to the skillet and brown for 2-3 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce, 2 tablespoons minced beef jerky, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together cream cheese, apple butter/jam, and peanut butter until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons water to achieve a pourable sauce consistency.

Return the cooked pasta to the pot over low heat. Pour in the cream cheese-apple butter sauce and toss gently, adding reserved pasta water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Stir corn and spinach into the pasta sauce, cooking for 2 minutes until spinach wilts and corn is heated through.

Divide pasta among serving plates. Top each portion with one crispy bagel-crusted chicken cutlet and generously spoon the chorizo-barbecue meatballs and sauce over the top.

Garnish with shredded cheese and a drizzle of additional barbecue sauce. Serve immediately while the chicken is still crispy.