Lemon Chicken Romano (Printable View)
Golden chicken with Romano-Parmesan crust in zesty lemon butter sauce
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 oz each)
02 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Coating
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 tablespoons whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
→ Lemon Sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
13 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
14 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
15 - Lemon slices, for garnish
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. If thick, place between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
02 - Arrange three shallow bowls: the first with all-purpose flour, the second with beaten eggs and whole milk, and the third with a blended mixture of Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese, and Italian breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each chicken breast first in the flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the egg wash, and finally coat thoroughly with the cheese-breadcrumb mixture. Press firmly to ensure the coating adheres evenly on both sides.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breaded chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F). Work in batches if needed, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer cooked cutlets to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
05 - Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet. Sauté the minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 3 minutes, using a spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
06 - Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet and spoon the lemon sauce generously over each piece. Simmer together for 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The double cheese crust gets impossibly crunchy while staying incredibly juicy inside, and once you master this technique you will want to put it on everything.
- The lemon sauce comes together in the same pan with all those leftover crispy bits, so every drop of flavor ends up on your plate instead of down the drain.
02 -
- If your chicken breasts are very thick they will burn on the outside before cooking through so pounding them thin is not optional, it is the difference between a good dinner and a great one.
- Do not skip scraping up the browned bits from the pan because that fond is concentrated flavor and the entire sauce is built on it.
03 -
- Let the breaded chicken rest for five minutes on a wire rack before frying and the coating will adhere dramatically better than if you fry it immediately.
- Keep the finished chicken warm in a low oven on a wire rack rather than a plate so the bottom crust stays just as crunchy as the top.