Crusted Chicken Romano
This Crusted Chicken Romano is my version of the Cheesecake Factory recipe and it's absolutely delicious! The chicken breast is breaded and fried to crispy perfection, making it a fantastic option for weeknight dinners as it takes less than 30 minutes to make.At The Cheesecake Factory, this dish is often served with spaghetti and a light marinara sauce, but I love pairing it with my Tomato Butter Pasta, which adds a rich and flavorful complement to the crispy chicken. Pair these two together and you have a delicious meal that everyone will love!
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Breasts Cut in half lengthwise
- ¾ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 large Eggs
- ¾ cup Fine Panko Bread Crumbs
- ¾ cup Shredded Romano Cheese
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ cup Olive Oil for Frying
- ½ cube Butter for Frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create thin cutlets. Place the chicken between plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness using a kitchen mallet. Pat dry and set aside.4 Chicken Breasts
- Set Up Dredging Station: In two separate bowls, prepare the following:Bowl 1: Flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, panko breadcrumbs and romano cheese.Bowl 2: Beaten eggs.Mix the dry ingredients and then dip the chicken in the egg wash and then dredge in the flour, breadcrumbs, and romano cheese mixture.¾ cup All Purpose Flour, 2 large Eggs, ¾ cup Fine Panko Bread Crumbs, ¾ cup Shredded Romano Cheese, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Salt, ½ tsp Black Pepper, 2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning
- Fry the Chicken: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry each chicken cutlet for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. You may have to turn the heat down to med-low or low to cook the chicken longer so it isn't pink inside and to not burn the chicken. The romano cheese can burn so make sure to turn the heat down if your cheese is burning and cook a little slower. I use a thermometer to check the chicken's temperature. To be safe chicken must be cooked to 165℉ or 74℃. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.½ cup Olive Oil for Frying, ½ cube Butter for Frying
Notes
I get all the chicken recipe prep done and then I start the water for the pasta and then get the tomato butter pasta ingredients ready to start cooking. Once everything is ready to go, I time the pasta cooking with the tomato butter sauce and fry the chicken. You want everything to get done around the same time. It's a little tricky if you're not used to cooking three things at once but I promise it's okay if it's not timed perfectly.
It takes about 15 minutes for the tomato butter sauce to cook which is about how long it takes for the spaghetti to cook. You will also be frying the chicken while the other two are cooking. Just stir the sauce every so often and check the pasta to make sure it doesn't get overdone. You will want to add the pasta straight from the pot it's cooking in directly into the tomato butter sauce pan. Do not drain the pasta. The starchiness of the pasta and pasta water will help thicken up the sauce and make the sauce stick to it better. I usually use about a half of cup or ladle full of the pasta water once I've added in the parmesean and basil. I let it simmer over low heat and toss the pasta in the sauce. It will continue to thicken up as you toss it around and the cheese melts into the sauce.
Make sure to watch this video reel on my Instagram to see how I do all of this! It's way easier to do this than it sounds! I promise! It's linked toward the bottom of the post!