Name: Chicken Romano Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; Salt and pepper; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon flour; ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs; ½ cup finely grated Romano cheese; 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ¾ teaspoon black pepper; 1/3 cup olive oil

Updated on December 17th, 2023

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This easy chicken Romano recipe is a simple but satisfying dish that’s perfect for a weekday dinner. Pair it with pasta or a Romaine salad and you have a restaurant-quality dinner your whole family will love.

Why make chicken Romano at home?

Chicken Romano is a common menu item at Italian restaurants. It’s a seasoned, breaded, and fried chicken breast, sometimes topped with cheese — basically, an adult version of the chicken tender that you eat with a fork and knife.

There are some advantages to making chicken Romano at home rather than waiting for your next trip to Olive Garden. These advantages include:

It’s heathier: A homemade dish is nearly always better for you than a restaurant or premade, packaged version. You can choose what oil you use for frying, for example. And you know exactly what’s in the dish if you make it yourself.
It’s cheaper: The first time you make this dish, you might spend a little more — but then you’ll have leftover ingredients that you can use again later.
You can customize: Maybe you don’t like Romano cheese or oregano. Easy. Swap in parmesan and rosemary instead.
You can experiment: This dish would also be great with a thin, boneless pork chop.
You can learn: Cooking is fun and rewarding. And, if you follow enough recipes, you’ll become less reliant on the instructions over time. You’ll start to learn what techniques and ingredients you like. That’s when you can start making up your own recipes.

What ingredients do you need for chicken Romano?

Chicken Romano prepared on plate with salad.

There are many variations of chicken Romano recipes out in the world. For this version, you need:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 egg
1 tablespoon flour
¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup finely grated Romano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

How to prepare chicken Romano

1. Bread the chicken

Raw pounded chicken breast on cutting board.

Start by patting your chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Cut each breast in half. Then, using a mallet, pound the breast pieces gently until they are about ½-inch thick. Season the breasts lightly with salt and pepper.

Mix the egg and flour in a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, mix Panko, Romano cheese, oregano, lemon zest, garlic powder, and ¾ teaspoon black pepper.

Now dip each breast piece in the egg mixture, letting the excess run off, then into the Romano cheese mixture. Repeat with remaining breast pieces.

Breaded chicken breasts on parchment paper.

2. Fry

Pour enough olive oil in a sauté pan to cover the bottom. Heat over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the chicken breast pieces so they’re not touch one another. You may have to do this in batches. Fry the chicken 5 minutes on one side, then flip. Remove the chicken once it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C.

Set chicken on a plate lined with paper towels for a couple minutes. Then transfer to serving plates and enjoy!

Variations

If you don’t have Panko, you can substitute breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs instead. You’ll lose a little of the crispy texture, but the end result will still be delicious.

You can also substitute any hard Italian cheese for the Romano. Parmesan works well if you grate it from a block. The powdered, canned Parmesan won’t be as good.

You can also add melt more cheese on top of the chicken for an extra-indulgent touch. To do this:

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 177°C.
Bread the chicken as instructed.
Fry the breaded chicken for 2 minutes on each side.
Transfer the chicken breasts to a prepared baking sheet.
Top each breast with a mixture of grated mozzarella and grated provolone.
Bake until the chicken is cooked through, and the cheese is melted.
Optionally, top with chopped parsley.

What to serve with chicken Romano

Pasta is an obvious side dish choice for chicken Romano. You can toss the cooked pasta with olive oil and add some sun-dried tomatoes. Or, take your pasta up a notch with a creamy mascarpone sauce.

You can also pair your chicken with a simple romaine salad, roasted vegetables (like Brussels sprouts), garlic mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf.

What to drink with chicken Romano

Here are some drink pairing ideas for your chicken Romano dinner:

White wine: A crisp, medium-bodied white wine such as Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Verdicchio can help cleanse the palate between bites and enhance the flavors of the chicken and cheese.
Red wine: If you prefer red wine, opt for a lighter-bodied choice like Chianti or Barbera. These wines have enough acidity to cut through the richness of the dish without overpowering it.
Beer: A light, refreshing beer such as a pilsner, blonde ale, or hefeweizen can offer a palate-cleansing effect and contrast the richness of the chicken.
Sparkling wine: Wanna get fancy? Try prosecco or cava for a bubbly and refreshing contrast to the dish’s flavors. The acidity will help cleanse the palate, too.
Sparkling water: Drinks don’t have to be boozy! For non-alcoholic options, try sparkling water with a twist of lemon or lime.

Yield: 4 Servings