Zesty Italian Lemon Pecorino Chicken
Elevate your dinner with these crispy chicken tenderloins coated in zesty lemon and tangy Pecorino Romano, finished with a creamy lemon garlic sauce. Perfect for a quick yet gourmet meal!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: No bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 (2-ounce) chicken tenderloins
- ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for sauce)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for sauce)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon butter (for sauce)
Instructions
- Flatten the chicken tenderloins to an even thickness using a meat mallet.
- Set up three bowls for breading: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with a mix of panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest, and Pecorino Romano cheese. Coat each tenderloin in flour, dip in egg, and then cover with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat olive oil and butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken tenderloins for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Cook in batches if needed. Drain on paper towels.
- In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant. Whisk in flour, then gradually stir in milk, heavy cream, and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and cook until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and butter.
- Drizzle the creamy lemon sauce over the crispy chicken tenderloins before serving.
Nutrition
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 200mg