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Lemon Chicken Romano

Lemon chicken Romano delivers thin golden cutlets with a shattering Romano cheese crust, pan-fried until deeply golden and crisp. Finished with a bright lemon-caper butter sauce so every bite is crunchy on the outside and juicy inside.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken cutlets
  • 8 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally into 8 thin cutlets.
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste for seasoning.
Breading
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs Beaten.
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese Finely grated.
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
For pan-frying and sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp butter Divided.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp capers Drained.
  • 1 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Set up and dredge the cutlets
  1. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then set up a breading station with flour, beaten egg, and a mixture of Romano cheese and panko.
  2. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip in egg, and press firmly into the Romano coating so it adheres evenly.
Pan-fry until deeply golden
  1. Heat olive oil with 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and pan-fry the cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp.
  2. Transfer the cutlets to a plate and keep them ready for the sauce while you cook the pan sauce.
Make lemon-caper butter sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, then deglaze with the white wine.
  2. Add the lemon juice and capers, then simmer for 3 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
  3. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until the sauce looks glossy and emulsified.
Serve
  1. Plate the cutlets and pour the lemon-caper butter sauce over each one, then garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the crunchiest crust, press the Romano-panko firmly onto the cutlets and avoid overcrowding the pan so the coating browns quickly. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot skillet to re-crisp. Freezing is not recommended because the coating can soften. For a lighter option, use half the butter by replacing 2 tablespoons with extra olive oil, keeping the final “cold butter swirl” for gloss.