Lemon Chicken Romano (Printable)

Golden Romano-crusted chicken cutlets with zesty lemon-butter sauce, ready in 45 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Breading & Coating

03 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 tablespoons water
06 - 1 cup grated Romano cheese
07 - 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

→ Pan-Frying

08 - ¼ cup olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

10 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Arrange three shallow dishes: the first with all-purpose flour, the second with eggs beaten together with 2 tablespoons of water, and the third with Romano cheese thoroughly mixed into the breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash, allowing the surplus to drain off. Press firmly into the Romano-breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even, adherent coating on both sides.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter foams and begins to subside, add the breaded cutlets in batches to avoid crowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a warm plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
05 - Carefully pour off excess oil from the skillet. Add the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to deglaze the pan, scraping up all caramelized bits from the bottom. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce lightly thickens and becomes glossy.
06 - Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet and spoon the lemon butter sauce over each piece. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through. Sprinkle generously with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Romano cheese crust gets impossibly crunchy while staying incredibly savory, way better than standard breadcrumbs alone.
  • That lemon butter sauce comes together in the same pan with all those golden bits, so every drop is packed with flavor.
  • It looks and tastes like something from a neighborhood Italian restaurant but comes together in under an hour.
02 -
  • Do not rush the frying step by cranking up the heat, because the Romano cheese burns easily and turns bitter before the chicken cooks through.
  • Letting the breaded cutlets rest for five minutes on a plate before frying helps the coating adhere and prevents it from sliding off in the pan.
03 -
  • Use one hand for the flour and egg steps and the other for the breadcrumb step to keep your fingers from turning into breaded clumps themselves.
  • Grate the Romano as finely as you can because larger shreds fall off the chicken during frying and burn in the oil.

Return