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Copycat Cheesecake Factory Crusted Chicken Romano

A restaurant-quality copycat with thin chicken cutlets heavily coated in finely grated Romano cheese and Panko breadcrumbs, pan-fried golden in olive oil and butter, and served over tomato basil spaghetti in just 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large chicken breasts halved lengthwise and pounded to uniform 1/4-inch thickness
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup Romano cheese finely grated on the finest side of the box grater; do not use pre-grated green can variety
  • 0.5 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder mixed into the flour
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper mixed into the flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
  • 1 tbsp butter for frying; combined with olive oil to raise smoke point
  • 8 oz spaghetti or linguine
  • 1.5 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
  • extra Romano cheese for garnish

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • 3 shallow bowls for dredging station
  • Meat mallet
  • wire rack
  • Large pot for pasta
  • Box grater (fine side)

Method
 

  1. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to produce 4 cutlets. Pound between plastic wrap to a uniform 1/4-inch thickness. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
  2. Set up three shallow bowls: Bowl 1 with flour, garlic powder, and pepper. Bowl 2 with beaten eggs. Bowl 3 with finely grated Romano mixed with Panko.
  3. Dredge each cutlet in seasoned flour, shake off excess, dip in egg wash, then press firmly into the Romano and Panko mixture on both sides until heavily coated.
  4. Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water to al dente. Warm marinara sauce in a small saucepan over low heat.
  5. Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter is bubbling. Add the coated cutlets and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden brown and cooked through to 165°F. Work in batches if needed.
  6. Transfer immediately to a wire rack to rest. Do not stack or place on a solid plate.
  7. Toss drained pasta with warm marinara and fresh basil chiffonade. Add a splash of pasta cooking water to help the sauce coat evenly.
  8. Plate the pasta and lay the Romano chicken across the top. Garnish with extra grated Romano and fresh basil.

Notes

Fine Grate is Essential: Use the finest side of the box grater for Romano. Small, powder-like bits fuse into a cohesive crust. Medium shreds fall off during frying. Medium Heat Only: Romano burns faster than standard breadcrumbs at high heat. If the crust browns in under 3 minutes per side, reduce heat. Wire Rack Resting: Always rest fried cutlets on a wire rack, never a flat plate. The rack prevents crust steam-softening from underneath. Crust Fell Off Fix: Ensure chicken is completely dry before dredging and that flour goes on first before the egg wash. Press the Romano coating firmly. Undercooked Center Fix: Transfer to 375°F oven on a wire rack for 5 to 8 minutes to finish cooking without further crust browning. Make Ahead: Coated cutlets can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before frying. Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 5 minutes for best crust restoration.