Lemon Chicken Romano Cutlets (Printable)

Romano-coated chicken cutlets pan-fried to golden, finished with a zesty lemon-butter sauce and 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 extra for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two pieces 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 bowls: the first with all-purpose flour, the second with eggs beaten together with water, and the third with Romano cheese combined with breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash, then press firmly into the Romano-cheese breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even, adherent coating on all sides.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breaded cutlets in batches if needed, 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 plate and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
05 - Pour off excess oil from the skillet. Add the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
06 - Return the chicken cutlets to the pan and spoon the lemon butter sauce over each piece. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, garnish with lemon slices if desired, and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The Romano cheese crust gets impossibly crispy while staying deeply savory in a way breadcrumbs alone never could.
  • That lemon butter sauce tastes like something from a restaurant but takes barely two minutes to pull off.
02 -
  • If the oil is not hot enough before you add the chicken, the cheese coating will slide right off and leave you with a sad, patchy crust.
  • Do not skip deglazing the pan because those browned bits are where all the concentrated flavor lives.
03 -
  • Dry the chicken breasts with paper towels before pounding so the seasoning sticks and the breading adheres without sliding.
  • Let the breaded cutlets rest for five minutes on a sheet pan before frying, it sets the coating and prevents it from falling off in the pan.

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