Italian
Silvia’s Masterclass
From
Silvia’s Masterclass
season
3
episode
1
Chicken Cotletta with ruby grapefruit, rocket & fennel salad
With
Silvia Colloca
Italian chicken cotoletta with ruby grapefruit, rocket and shaved fennel salad.
PREP
20
MINS
Cook
20
MINS
SERVES
4
About this recipe
Silvia Colloca's chicken breast crumbed and shallow-fried into a golden cotoletta, served with a ruby grapefruit, rocket and shaved fennel salad sharpened by apple cider vinegar. Italian comfort cooking with a citrus winter side. The grapefruit cuts the richness clean.
Cotoletta is the Italian flat-cutlet preparation (the Milanese cotoletta alla milanese being the most famous version, traditionally made with veal cooked in butter). This chicken version is the Lombard household variation, with breast meat pounded thin to a uniform 5mm thickness so it cooks evenly in the pan. The thin cutlet stays moist; a thicker piece would dry out before the crust developed proper colour.
The parmigiano-in-the-crumb is the upgrade on a standard breadcrumb coating. A third of the breadcrumbs replaced with grated parmigiano gives the crust a deeper colour, a saltier umami punch and a faint cheese-crisp note at the edges where the cheese melts and re-crisps in the pan. The technique works for chicken, pork, veal and eggplant equally well.
The ruby grapefruit and fennel salad is the modern Italian winter side that lifts the rich crumbed chicken. Grapefruit segments cut from the membrane (supremed, in chef language) so no pith remains; rocket for peppery bite; fennel shaved paper-thin for a clean anise crunch. Apple cider vinegar (rather than balsamic, which would dominate) keeps the dressing light and bright. Plate the warm cotoletta with the cold salad alongside; a glass of cold Vermentino or a chilled Etna Bianco.
Ingredients
- 4 Hazeldenes chicken breasts (boneless and skinless)
- 2 large eggs
- 4-5 tbsp Mazzetti Apple Cider Vinegar
- 100g all-purpose flour
- 150g breadcrumbs (preferably Italian-style)
- 50 g grated Floridia Parmigiano cheese
- Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- 100g fresh rocket (arugula)
- 1 head fresh fennel
- 2 ruby grapefruits
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed grape fruit juice (you can do this squeezing the carcass of the grapefruit after segmenting)
- Salt to taste
Method
1. Prepare the Chicken Cotoletta - Begin by placing the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Gently pound them to an even thickness of about 1 cm.
2. Set up a breading station: In one shallow dish, place the flour and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, whisk the eggs. In the third dish, mix breadcrumbs with grated Parmesan cheese and optional chopped parsley.
3. Coat each chicken breast first in the seasoned flour, tapping off any excess, then dip it into the egg wash, and finally liberally coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
4. Fry the Cotoletta: - Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the breaded chicken breasts. Fry for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Make sure the chicken is cooked through by checking that the juices run clear when pierced with a knife.
6. Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
7. Prepare the Ruby Grapefruit: - To segment the grapefruit, cut off the top and bottom of each grapefruit to create flat surfaces. Stand the fruit upright on one of the flat ends. Using a sharp knife, slice off the peel and pith in downward strokes, following the natural curve of the fruit.
8. Once peeled, carefully cut along the membrane of each segment, releasing the individual slices without any of the pith. Discard any seeds.
9. Set the segments aside in a small bowl.
10. Remove the fronds of the fennel bulb and slice the fennel right side up, about ½ cm in thickness. Finnley chop the fronds of the fennel.
11. Prepare the Salad: - In a large bowl, combine the fresh rocket (arugula), fennel and the segmented ruby grapefruit.
12. Drizzle with olive oil, a little grapefruit juice and apple cider vinegar, then season with salt to taste. Toss gently to combine and ensure everything is lightly coated with the dressing.
13. Assemble the Dish: - Serve the crispy chicken cotoletta alongside a generous portion of the RUBY GRAPEFRUIT, ROCKET & FENNEL SALAD. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for an extra burst of flavour.
Silvia Colloca
Silvia Colloca is an Italian-born food writer, opera singer, TV producer and host. She has authored seven cookbooks, including Silvia’s Cucina, Made in Italy, La Dolce Vita, Love, Laugh, Bake!, Simple Italian (2024), and The Italian Homecook (2025), all published by Penguin.
Silvia’s most recent television work is Silvia’s Italian Masterclass (Channel 10), with its latest season airing in October 2025. The series is currently funding for Season 4. She has also appeared as a special guest on SBS’s Mastermind in 2025. Her earlier TV credits include the SBS Food series Cook Like an Italian, which has screened internationally across three seasons, as well as Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca (SBS), filmed on location in the Le Marche and Abruzzo regions and earning her a 2015 TV WEEK Logie Award nomination for Best New Talent. She also co-wrote, co-produced and hosted the ABC prime-time series Silvia’s Italian Table in 2016.
Outside of food and television, Silvia has enjoyed a career as a celebrated opera singer and actress. In 2022, she released her debut solo classical album with Universal Music, which topped the Classical Charts for over 20 weeks. That same year, she performed with Andrea Bocelli at his Sydney concert, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Inspiration Starts Here
Join the Savour & Wander Club for recipes, travel notes and first access to future member content.
