This incredible recipe for Crusted Chicken Romano features thinly sliced juicy chicken cutlets pan-fried with a crispy and flavorful romano cheese breading.
Romano Chicken is a Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe that tastes even better than the restaurant version, and can be made in under 30 minutes!
Are you wondering how to make your favorite Chicken Romano recipe at home? I’ve got you covered with this tasty recipe!
Tender and juicy chicken cutlets are coated with the most amazingly flavorful and crispy crust. They’re pan-fried for the perfect crunch, then finished in the oven with extra cheese on top.
All of that is finished in about 30 minutes, so this chicken dinner is a winner for any night of the week.
Looking for more crispy chicken recipes? Try another Italian-inspired classic, Chicken Parmesan. Or make crispy Chicken Schnitzel!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s Quick and Easy – Making fried chicken cutlets on the stovetop is really quite simple! The ingredients in this recipe are easy to find, universally enjoyed, and you’ll be able to put them together in under 30 minutes to make a delicious meal.
- An Inexpensive Restaurant Copycat – It’s expensive to eat out nowadays! And while I wouldn’t recommend skipping nights out completely, it is much cheaper to make your restaurant favorites at home instead. You can also make Cheesecake Factory’s Chicken Parmesan Sandwich or Olive Garden’s famous salad and breadsticks with my easy recipes!
- It’s Completely Delicious – This is probably one of my favorite dishes at the Cheesecake Factory, and I know you’re going to love it too! The crispy breading with lemon zest and cheese is to-die-for.
Key Ingredients for Chicken Romano
Here’s what you need to make these delicious crispy chicken cutlets:
- Chicken: Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thin cutlets. If needed, pound them out so that they are an even thickness.
- Romano Cheese: Pecorino Romano cheese, grated finely, will get wonderfully crispy on the outside of the chicken cutlets.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: For the crispiest chicken romano, choose panko crumbs rather than regular breadcrumbs. This recipe works totally fine with gluten-free pano and flour too!
- Flour and Egg: A three-part breading for chicken romano starts with all-purpose flour, then whisked egg, and finally a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasonings.
- Lemon Zest and Parsley: To make the cheesy crispy coating even more irresistible, add freshly grated lemon zest and finely chopped fresh parsley to the mix.
- Toppings: After pan-frying the cutlets, finish cooking them in the oven, topped with melty mozzarella cheese. Before serving, top with lemon slices.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Crusted Romano Chicken
- Get Ready: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C). Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Set Up A Dredging Station: I have this three-part tray set up, but you can also use three shallow bowls. In one, add the flour. In the second, whisk an egg. The third bowl will have a combination of panko bread crumbs, Romano cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Bread the Chicken: Dip each chicken cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip it into the egg wash. Press it into the Romano-panko mixture, making sure it’s well-coated on both sides. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
- Cook in Batches: Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add two of the crusted chicken breasts and pan-fry them for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the coating is golden brown. The chicken does not have to be cooked all the way through at this point. Wipe out the pan to remove any burnt breadcrumbs, and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Tip!
Cook the chicken in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan. The cutlets will get a much crispier crust this way!
- Bake: Once all of the chicken is crispy, transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat mat. Pile mozzarella cheese on top of each. Bake for 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Finish: Before serving, top each cutlet with a slice of lemon and fresh parsley or basil.
Recipe Tips
- Make the cutlets even. If after slicing the chicken, the cutlets are different thicknesses, use a meat mallet to pound them out so that they are all the same. This will help them to cook at the same rate.
- Grate fresh cheese. You can buy pre-shredded pecorino Romano cheese, but you’ll get much better flavor if you shred it yourself from a larger wedge. As a bonus, it’s usually less expensive this way too!
- Use your hands to bread the chicken. You’ll want to press the breadcrumbs and cheese mixture onto the chicken so that it sticks well.
- Use a meat thermometer. After baking, the cutlets should have an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Add additional cooking time if necessary.
- Lemon slices are so pretty on top of the chicken, but you could also serve the chicken with lemon wedges instead. For best results, squeeze the lemon over the chicken before eating it!
Storing Tips
This crispy chicken will be best if enjoyed right away, but you can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat the chicken romano in the air fryer to make the cutlets crispy again.
What To Serve With Crispy Chicken Romano
If you were to order this at The Cheesecake Factory, it would be served with pasta in tomato sauce. I like it with any kind of pasta though, including buttered noodles or my creamy lemon ricotta pasta.
Instead of pasta, try Romano chicken with mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes.
What Sauce Goes with Chicken Romano?
This chicken will go perfectly with any of your favorite pasta sauces or pasta side dishes!
If you like creamy pasta, try it with my cream cheese pasta sauce or classic Alfredo sauce.
For a lighter option, garlic and olive oil pasta or your favorite marinara will be delish!
More Italian Chicken Recipes
All Chicken recipes→
Crusted Romano Chicken is a quick and easy dinner that will most definitely impress your family. Save this recipe – they’ll be asking you to make it again!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Crusted Chicken Romano
Equipment
- 3 Shallow bowls or a dredging station
- Rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts boneless and skinless, sliced lengthwise into thin cutlets and pounded if needed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup (60 g) grated Romano cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 tablespoons (60 ml) avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C if you have a fan oven.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper from all sides.
- Set up a dredging station: To a shallow bowl, add flour, in a second bowl whisk an egg, and in a third bowl combine panko with romano cheese, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Dip each chicken cutlet in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip it into the egg wash. Press it into the Romano-panko mixture, making sure it’s well-coated on both sides. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
- Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 2 of coated chicken breasts (or as many as you can fit in the pan) and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the coating is golden brown. The chicken does not need to be cooked all the way through.
- Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel if there are burnt panko breadcrumbs, then add the remaining oil and repeat with the remaining chicken cutlets.
- Move the chicken breasts to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Pile shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each chicken cutlet.
- Put the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Take the chicken out of the oven and top with a slice of lemon if desired, and sprinkle with fresh parsley or basil.
Notes:
- Make the cutlets even. If after slicing the chicken, the cutlets are different thicknesses, use a meat mallet to pound them out so that they are all the same. This will help them to cook at the same rate.
- Grate fresh cheese. You can buy pre-shredded pecorino Romano cheese, but you’ll get much better flavor if you shred it yourself from a larger wedge. As a bonus, it’s usually less expensive this way too!
- Use your hands to bread the chicken. You’ll want to press the breadcrumbs and cheese mixture onto the chicken so that it sticks well.
- Use a meat thermometer. After baking, the cutlets should have an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). Add additional cooking time if necessary.
- Lemon slices are so pretty on top of the chicken, but you could also serve the chicken with lemon wedges instead. For best results, squeeze the lemon over the chicken before eating it!
- To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They reheat wonderfully in the air fryer.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
LittleMom says
This was easy to make and delicious!
I nixed the lemon because hubby doesn’t like it. I added 1/2 tsp of both kosher salt and pepper, 1 tsp of garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
I’m so glad you were able to adjust the recipe for your family’s preferences! Sounds delicious!
Debbie Campbell says
This was an easy and fast recipe. The kids got to help and they loved that. Plus they loved the chicken.