Lemon Pecorino Crusted Chicken (Printable Version)

Juicy baked chicken with a lemon-pecorino crust and silky lemon cream sauce - bright, savory, comforting.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Lemon Pecorino Crust

04 - 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
05 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
06 - Zest of 2 lemons
07 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 2 tablespoons milk
10 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

→ Creamy Lemon Sauce

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 cup heavy cream
14 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
15 - Juice of 1 lemon
16 - Salt, to taste
17 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
18 - 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
19 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
20 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Arrange three shallow bowls: one with flour; one with beaten eggs and milk; one with mixed panko, pecorino, lemon zest, and parsley.
04 - Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg-milk mixture, then coat in pecorino-panko blend.
05 - Place breaded chicken breasts on prepared baking sheet and lightly drizzle or spray with olive oil.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
07 - While chicken bakes, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
08 - Add heavy cream and chicken broth; bring to a gentle simmer.
09 - Incorporate lemon juice, salt, pepper, pecorino, and lemon zest. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened.
10 - Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if required. Remove from heat.
11 - Serve crispy chicken breasts topped with lemon cream sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The crispy lemon-pecorino crust is that secret restaurant touch you can actually pull off at home.
  • The creamy lemon sauce feels fancy but only takes a few minutes to whip up, making weeknight dinners feel special.
02 -
  • If you skip patting the chicken dry, the crust will slide off – learned that after my first attempt created a breadcrumb avalanche.
  • Letting the sauce just barely simmer makes it silky; a hard boil will split it every time.
03 -
  • Chill the breaded chicken in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking for an even sturdier crust.
  • Freshly grated cheese is worth the little extra effort; the melt and tang are unbeatable.

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