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More Perfect Pasta Recipes
Chicken Romano with Creamy Garlic Lemon Pasta
Chicken Romano with creamy lemon pasta is my ultimate feel-good dinner. I coat chicken cutlets in a Romano cheese crumb and pan-fry them until golden and crisp. Then I toss al dente pasta in a rich, zesty sauce made with cream, garlic, lemon juice, and zest. It’s the kind of dish that feels indulgent but still bright and fresh, and every bite is a perfect mix of crispy, creamy, and citrusy. Ideal for date night, Sunday dinner, or just spoiling yourself.
Ingredients
Chicken Romano
- 400g chicken scallopini (thinly sliced chicken cutlets)
- 1 egg, light beaten
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese), grated
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
- Olive oil, to shallow frying
Creamy Garlic Lemon Chicken
- 400g pasta (linguine or fettucine)
- 300ml creme fraiche
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- Zest and juice 1/2 lemon
- 50g grated pecorino romano or parmigiano reggiano (parmesan cheese), grated
- Salt and pepper, to season
- Fresh flat leaf parsley, to garnish
Instructions
Chicken Romano
- In a shallow dish, mix together plain flour and garlic salt. Place beaten egg in a separate dish, and grated cheese in a third dish.
- Coat each chicken scallopini in the flour, followed by the egg, and finally by the grated cheese.
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Cook each chicken fillet for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through and golden. Add additional olive oil as required.
- Set cooked scaloppini aside and prepare pasta.
Creamy Garlic Lemon Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season generously with salt.
- Add pasta, and cook according to packet instructions until al dente.
- Heat butter over medium heat and then cook garlic 2-3 minutes or until soft and fragrant.
- Add creme fraiche, lemon juice and zest and cheese and stir through until smooth and creamy.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Toss pasta through the sauce and sprinkle with cracked black pepper and fresh parsley.
- Serve with chicken romano.
What I Cook With
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 901Total Fat: 57gSaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 222mgSodium: 999mgCarbohydrates: 66gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 3gSugar: 11gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 31g
Please note, this nutrition information is to be used as a guide only. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
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Chicken Romano with Creamy Lemon Pasta Recipe
Midweek Comfort and the Joy of Simplicity
In the kitchen, there are many food-friendships I love, such as salmon and wasabi, potatoes and bacon, chorizo and pretty much everything. However, chicken and creamy pasta is my favourite food-friendship of all. I am not sure why these work so well together. Yet when it comes to comfort food this pairing is absolute heaven. With that said, I am sure you can appreciate my adoration of my Chicken Romano with Creamy Garlic Lemon Pasta.
The crispy, shallow fried chicken romano plays perfectly with the tangy but creamy pasta, with its wonderfully rich garlic and lemony flavours. The lemon and garlic cut through the richness of the cream, whose velvetiness complements the crispy coating of the chicken. Honestly, I could talk about this recipe all day were I given the opportunity!
To me, this romano chicken recipe constitutes a midweek meal. The chicken only takes a few seconds to prepare, and mere minutes to cook. Likewise, the pasta sauce is a speedy one, though never sacrificing time for flavour. When tossed through lengths of linguine or tagliatelle it creates the most wonderfully, comforting pasta.
When Only Pasta Will Do
If you’re familiar with my Risotto alla Milanese recipe, you’ll know we don’t eat pasta too often in our home as I’m celiac, and gluten free pasta is very hit and miss. However, sometimes the type of comfort we need can only be given by a big bowl of swirling pasta, with a luxuriously velvety sauce. With a swathe of rain making its way across Scotland at the moment pasta is definitely on the menu!
It’s funny how weather can influence cravings, isn’t it? Sunshine makes me crave grilled fish and bright salads. But the moment the sky goes grey and the wind picks up, I want cream and carbs. This recipe hits that spot with gusto. Creamy without being too heavy, zesty enough to feel bright, and with the richness of the fried chicken to balance the whole thing out.
There’s something about the texture contrast too that makes this dish work. The slight crunch of the romano chicken against the smoothness of the sauce, the twirl of pasta catching just enough of everything. It’s not fussy food. It’s food that feels like a hug, especially on those wet and weary evenings.
Food-Friendships and Italian Magic
The beauty of this romano chicken with creamy lemon pasta is what I consider to be at the heart of all Italian cuisine – its simplicity. We have gorgeous flavours which work together to create something truly delicious. And when you have a food-friendship as good as this? What’s not to love!
That’s what I find so charming about Italian-inspired cooking. It doesn’t ask you to be a master chef. It just asks you to respect good ingredients, treat them well, and allow them to shine. In this recipe, the garlic is mellowed into butter and cream. The lemon brightens without overpowering. The cheese adds its nutty, salty depth. Nothing shouts over the other.
And the chicken, well. It’s just delicious. A simple coating of flour and cheese gives it all the crunch and flavour it needs. No faff. No long marinades or breadcrumb production lines. Just pan-fried happiness. If you can be bothered to garnish it with parsley, great. If not, who cares. It’s already wonderful.
Ingredients Breakdown
For the Chicken Romano, you’ll need thinly sliced chicken cutlets, sometimes labelled scallopini, which cook in no time and soak up the flavour of the romano cheese coating beautifully. The coating itself is a mix of plain flour, pecorino romano or parmesan, and a touch of garlic salt. Just enough to give flavour without overwhelming. A lightly beaten egg helps everything stick, and shallow frying in olive oil gives the chicken its gorgeous golden crust.
The Creamy Garlic Lemon Pasta starts with linguine or fettucine, depending on what you have or feel like using. The sauce is simple and luscious – creme fraiche melted with a little salted butter, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and finished with grated romano or parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste, of course, and a bit of fresh flat leaf parsley if you’re feeling fancy.
Together, these ingredients create a meal that feels indulgent without going overboard. It’s creamy, yes, but the lemon and garlic keep it lively. The romano chicken adds that satisfying bite and a little bit of drama to the plate. And best of all, it comes together quickly, making it perfect for a midweek dinner that still feels like a treat.
This looks so good dear! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Jessica | notjessfashion.com
Love this recipe! It was so easy and had so much flavor! I’ll be making it again for sure!
I’ve never had a pasta dish paired with deep-fried chicken before, but now that’s exactly what I want to have once I look at all your drool-worthy photos. I’ll be making this ASAP.
You’ve got all the goodness in there. I think I’d love to have this every single day, It’s got so much flavor and my absolute favorite ingredient – PASTA !! Definitely making it
OMG this sounds like the best dinner ever! Chicken romano is so good and that pasta looks so creamy and zesty!
Drooling over this delicious pasta recipe. Will try over weekend.