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Lemon Chicken Romano

Lemon Chicken Romano is an Italian-American cutlet dinner with a shattering Romano cheese crust, pan-fried until deeply golden. Chicken cutlets rest in a bright lemon butter sauce with garlic, capers, and fresh parsley for a crisp-meets-saucy bite.
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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: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken cutlets
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halve horizontally into 8 thin cutlets.
  • 0.5 Salt and pepper to taste Season both sides of the cutlets to taste.
Breading
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour For dredging.
  • 2 large eggs, beaten Beaten for dipping.
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated Mix with panko for the crust.
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs Stir into Romano cheese for coating.
Frying and sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil For pan-frying.
  • 2 tbsp butter, divided Use 2 tablespoons with the oil to fry, then reserve remaining 2 tablespoons for sauce.
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced Cook briefly for aroma.
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine For deglazing the pan.
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice For the bright sauce.
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained Add during the simmer.
  • 0.5 Fresh parsley for garnish Chop and garnish before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Set up breading
  1. Season the thin chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then set out three stations with flour, beaten egg, and a mixture of finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese and panko breadcrumbs.
  2. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip in egg, and press firmly into the Romano-panko coating so the crust adheres.
Pan-fry the cutlets
  1. Heat the olive oil with 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then pan-fry the coated cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp.
  2. Transfer the cutlets to a plate to hold while you make the sauce.
Make the lemon-caper butter sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook the minced garlic for 30 seconds, stirring until fragrant without browning.
  2. Deglaze with the dry white wine, then add the lemon juice and drained capers and simmer for 3 minutes to concentrate the sauce.
  3. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until glossy and lightly thickened.
Serve
  1. Plate the Romano cutlets and pour the lemon-caper butter sauce over each one, then garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Pro tip: Press the cutlets firmly into the Romano-panko so the crust turns golden and stays crisp; avoid crowding the skillet. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a hot oven or skillet to re-crisp. Freezing isn’t recommended for best crust texture. For a lighter option, swap half the butter for an olive-oil spread and use reduced-fat Pecorino Romano if desired.