Scientifically speaking, crispy chicken is the antidote to frustration, weariness, and any general dissatisfaction you may be carrying around from your workday. If you are feeling less than perfect today, this Crispy Pecorino Romano Chicken has your name all over it. Crackly crunch, juicy chicken, and a smidge of fat to make you feel indulgent. Add grated Pecorino Romano cheese to that mix and you’re in Crispy Chicken Heaven. The cheese is mixed in with the breadcrumbs, along with a couple spices, to create this perfect, shatteringly crisp crust that tastes salty and buttery and amazing.
This week, we have a bit of that aforementioned weariness in my house thanks to our very adorable, affectionate, super sweet puppy suddenly erupting in hives. He had some kind of allergic reaction to a bug, a bee, a leaf… who knows. I have faith that with lots of Benadryl and the steroid shots the vet gave, he will be fine in the next 24 hours. For now, here is a picture of him being his normal healthy, happy, slightly drooly self:
3 steps to chicken heaven
If you can, please tear your eyes away from this bundle of Mastiff love. Now, let me tell you in 3 simple steps how to make this chicken.
- Prep your chicken! In order to cook the chicken all the way through without burning the breading, we want thin chicken. Thinly slice your chicken breasts by placing your hand flat on top of the chicken and slicing through the center, parallel to your hand, with a long, skinny knife. I use this fillet knife that a friend gave Joey; I Love it, with a capital L.
2. Set up your breading station! That’s flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs mixed with a generous amount of Pecorino Romano and spices. *Fun Fact: a block of Pecorino Romano at room temperature will weep something called “butterfat tears”. I feel strangely connected to that.
3. Cook! In a combo of olive oil and butter, cook the breaded chicken until it’s golden brown on both sides; about 6-8 minutes.
Thank goodness for this crispy chicken. The end result is so good, and it comes together so fast. It’s like it was literally sent from the universe to soothe your soul. I really cry butterfat tears of joy over this with a little garlic mayo for dipping (mayo mixed with 1 or 2 cloves of grated garlic, a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt), and an arugula salad, dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Please go get yourself some crispy chicken love and enjoy 💗
*This post contains an Amazon Affiliate link to my favorite inexpensive fillet knife!
PrintCrispy Pecorino Romano Chicken
Pecorino Romano cheese is mixed into breadcrumbs, giving this Crispy Pecorino Romano Chicken the perfect salty, buttery crunch!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan-fry
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 C flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 C Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 C grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 TBS butter, divided
- 4 TBS extra virgin olive oil, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and set a wire rack inside a baking sheet. You’ll put the first batch of chicken here and keep it warm in the oven while you finish the second batch.
- Prep the chicken: We want the chicken thin enough to cook through in the pan without burning the breadcrumbs. So, slice each chicken breast into two thinner halves by placing your hand flat on top of the chicken breast and carefully running your knife parallel to your hand, cutting through the breast. See picture in post for an example. Season all 4 pieces of chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Set up your breading station: Combine 1 cup of flour, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in one dish. Whisk together 2 eggs in another dish. Combine 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs, 1/2 a cup of grated Pecorino Romano, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder in a third dish. Arrange them near your stove, in that order: Flour – Egg – Breadcrumb.
- Cook 2 pieces of chicken at a time, and wipe out your skillet in between: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture, making sure it’s evenly coated. Place the chicken in the skillet and move on to your second piece. Cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping over halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown on both sides. Transfer chicken to your baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you finish the rest of the chicken. Wipe out the skillet, and repeat with the remaining butter, oil, and chicken.
Notes
I love to have a little garlic mayo on the side with this chicken. To make it, combine about 1/3 C of mayo with 1 or 2 cloves of grated garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
Keywords: Pecorino Romano, breaded chicken