Lemon Chicken Romano (Printable)

Golden Romano-crusted chicken cutlets with bright 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

→ Cooking

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

→ Lemon 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

# Directions:

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 combined with breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash, allowing surplus to drip off, then press firmly into the Romano-breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even coating on all sides.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, add the breaded cutlets and 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 foil.
05 - Carefully pour off excess oil from the skillet. Add the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to deglaze, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce lightly thickens.
06 - Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, spooning the lemon-butter sauce over the top. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately with additional lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The Romano cheese crust gets impossibly crunchy while the chicken stays juicy inside, and that contrast will ruin you for plain breaded cutlets forever.
  • The lemon butter sauce comes together in the same pan with barely any effort, so you look like a genius without actually working hard.
02 -
  • If the oil is not hot enough when the chicken goes in, the breading soaks up grease instead of sealing and crisping, so wait until you see a shimmer across the surface.
  • Do not flip the chicken more than once because each flip risks pulling off cheese that has not fully bonded to the surface yet.
03 -
  • Let the breaded cutlets rest on a wire rack for five minutes before frying so the coating sets and adheres instead of sliding off in the pan.
  • Grate the Romano yourself from a wedge rather than buying pre grated because the freshness makes a noticeable difference in how the cheese melts into the crust.

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