Lemon Chicken Romano (Print Version)
Golden Romano-crusted chicken cutlets with a bright lemon-butter pan sauce and fresh parsley.
# 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 more for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Arrange three shallow dishes: fill the first with all-purpose flour, the second with eggs beaten together with 2 tablespoons of water, and the third with a mixture of grated Romano cheese and breadcrumbs combined thoroughly.
03 - Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash, allowing the extra to drip off, then press firmly into the Romano-cheese and breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even, adherent coating on all sides.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter foams and begins to subside. Carefully place the breaded cutlets into the pan, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer finished cutlets to a warm plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
05 - Pour off any excess oil from the skillet, leaving the fond intact. 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 comes together and slightly thickens.
06 - Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, spooning the lemon-butter sauce generously over each piece. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional lemon slices. Serve immediately alongside angel hair pasta or a crisp green salad.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The Romano crust gets so crunchy and savory that you will catch yourself picking at the edges before the sauce even hits the pan.
- That lemon butter sauce comes together in about two minutes using the same skillet, which means almost no extra cleanup.
- It tastes like something you would order at a really good Italian restaurant but you can pull it off on a random Tuesday.
02 -
- If the oil is not hot enough before you add the chicken, the breading will slide right off and you will end up with a soggy mess instead of a proper crust.
- Letting the breaded cutlets rest for five minutes on a plate before frying helps the coating set and dramatically reduces how much falls off in the pan.
03 -
- Grate the Romano yourself from a wedge instead of buying it pre grated because the fresh stuff melts into the breading better and tastes exponentially more alive.
- Keep the finished cutlets tented loosely with foil rather than wrapped tight, because trapped steam is the enemy of everything crispy.