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Lemon Chicken Romano

Lemon chicken Romano features thin, pan-fried cutlets with a shattering Pecorino Romano crust. They’re served with a glossy lemon butter caper sauce made in the same pan for a bright Italian-American weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 860
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken cutlets
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Halved horizontally into 8 thin cutlets.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Breading
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
  • 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
Pan-fry and sauce
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 tbsp butter, divided
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 cup dry white wine
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Set up breading stations
  1. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper to taste, then set up three stations: flour, beaten egg, and a mix of Pecorino Romano with panko.
Coat the cutlets
  1. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip into the beaten egg, and press firmly into the Romano coating so it adheres.
Pan-fry until deeply golden
  1. Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then pan-fry cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp; remove to a plate.
Make the lemon-caper butter sauce
  1. In the same pan, cook garlic for 30 seconds, then deglaze with dry white wine and add fresh lemon juice and capers.
Finish glossy and serve
  1. Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes, then swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter until glossy; plate the cutlets and pour sauce over, garnishing with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the crispest Romano crust, press the coating firmly onto the cutlets so it bonds before frying. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat to re-crisp. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use 1/2 the amount of butter in the sauce while keeping the lemon and capers the same.