Lemon Chicken Romano (Printable)

Romano-crusted chicken cutlets with a 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 more 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 with breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash, allowing the surplus to drip off, then firmly press 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. 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 warmed 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 any fond from the bottom. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce slightly 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 gently reheat through. Sprinkle generously with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately, garnished with additional lemon slices if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Romano cheese crust gets impossibly crunchy while the chicken stays juicy inside, and you will find yourself sneaking bites straight from the pan.
  • That lemon butter sauce comes together in the same skillet in under two minutes, so you get maximum flavor with almost zero extra effort.
02 -
  • Do not let the oil smoke before adding the chicken because burnt oil will make the Romano taste bitter and there is no way to fix it once it happens.
  • Pressing the breading firmly onto each cutlet rather than just tossing it on makes the difference between a crust that stays on and one that falls off in the pan.
03 -
  • The cheese breadcrumb mixture can be prepped a day ahead and stored in a sealed container, which shaves ten minutes off your cooking time on busy nights.
  • Use medium heat rather than medium high because the Romano browns faster than you expect and lower heat gives you a golden crust without burning.

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