Lemon Pecorino Crusted Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken with a lemon-pecorino crust and silky lemon cream sauce, ready in 45 minutes.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Prepare three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs and milk, and one with panko, pecorino, lemon zest, and chopped parsley.
04 - Dredge each chicken breast first in flour, shake off excess, dip in the egg mixture, then coat thoroughly in the pecorino-panko mixture.
05 - Place coated chicken breasts on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle or spray lightly with olive oil.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
07 - While chicken bakes, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
08 - Stir in heavy cream and chicken broth; bring to a gentle simmer.
09 - Add lemon juice, salt, pepper, Pecorino Romano, and lemon zest. Stir and simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
10 - Adjust seasoning as needed, remove sauce from heat. Serve chicken topped with sauce and garnish with additional parsley.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemony pecorino crust turns plain chicken into something you’ll crave on dreary days.
  • It feels like a restaurant dish, but you can pull it off in under an hour – no chef coat required.
02 -
  • If you rush the breading or skip pressing the coating on, it slides right off in the oven – take your time.
  • I learned to zest lemons before cutting for juice – doing it the other way makes for slippery, frustrating zesting.
03 -
  • Let the chicken rest for a couple of minutes after baking so the juices won’t run when you slice.
  • If you want to prep ahead, keep sauce and chicken separate until serving so the crust stays crisp.

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