Tender chicken breast in a flavorful breading, topped with a delicious, creamy lemon sauce, this Chicken Costoletta recipe is an easy at-home copycat recipe of the Cheesecake Factory favorite! Cheaper and even more delicious made at home, it’s perfect with asparagus and mashed potatoes.

Breaded chicken costoletta topped with a cream sauce on a white plate with bright green asparagus.

🍽️ What Makes This Recipe So Good

Chicken Costoletta is so flavorful! Thin and tender chicken, coated in a deliciously flavorful breading, then topped with creamy lemon sauce. It tastes just like what you can get at the restaurant, but from the comfort of your own home.
This is such an easy and impressive dish to make! The lemon sauce comes together quickly, and the chicken crisps up in just a couple of minutes. It’s a perfect dish to make if you’re planning on entertaining guests, a special date night, or even just for a delicious weeknight dinner.

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

Chicken costoletta is super versatile! I love pairing it with asparagus and mashed potatoes for the full Cheesecake Factory feel. However, you could totally put this chicken on top of some lemon pepper pasta, or any other noodles you have on hand! Even the pickiest of eaters will love this delicious chicken.
Breaded chicken crisps up very quickly! Be sure to remove chicken from heat as soon as it turns a golden-brown color. Be sure to pat the chicken dry to ensure it stays perfectly crisp!
Grab an insulated cup! It’ll keep your lemon sauce perfectly warm while you’re cooking the chicken. You won’t have to worry about the sauce curdling, or having to reheat it once ready to serve. This is one of my favorite hacks!

🍗 More Delicious Chicken Dinners You’ll Love

Chicken Costoletta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

This restaurant-favorite chicken dish is super easy to make in your own kitchen, and easier on your wallet, too!

Prep: 15

Cook: 30

Total: 45

Recipe Makes: 4 servings

Equipment

cutting board
sharp chef's knife
meat pounder (or rolling pin, optional)
medium saucepan with lid
large wooden spoon
insulated tumbler with lid (optional)
3 shallow bowls
whisk
spoon
large plate
paper towels
wire cooling rack
Large skillet
tongs
internal meat thermometer

Ingredients

For the Chicken

▢ 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 8 ounces each)
▢ salt (to taste)
▢ black pepper (to taste)
▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or vegetable oil)

For the Lemon Cream Sauce

▢ 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
▢ 3 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream (at room temperature)
▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
▢ ¼ cup lemon juice
▢ salt (to taste)
▢ black pepper (to taste)
▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)

For the Chicken Breading

▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (zest from approximately 2 medium lemons)
▢ 3 tablespoons grated parmesan

Instructions

For the Chicken

Place 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts on cutting board. Using sharp knife, slice each chicken breast in half horizontally, creating 4 evenly-sized chicken cutlets. If needed, pound each cutlet with meat pounder or rolling pin until each cutlet is ¼-inch thick.
Season cutlets generously on all sides with salt and black pepper to taste. Set chicken cutlets aside.

For the Lemon Cream Sauce

Place medium saucepan on stovetop over medium-low heat and add 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Continue heating saucepan, swirling and tilting pan occasionally to distribute oil across entire surface, until oil is hot and shimmery.
When oil is hot, add 3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed) and stir to incorporate. Sauté garlic, stirring constantly, 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant.
Remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. Add 2 cups heavy whipping cream and stir to incorporate, then return saucepan to stovetop and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cream is reduced by approximately one-third (33%).
Once cream has reduced, add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ¼ cup lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir to incorporate, then simmer, stirring frequently, approximately 5 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat and let cool slightly. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and stir until butter is completely melted and fully incorporated. Set saucepan on cool burner and cover with lid, stirring occasionally until ready to serve. Alternately, transfer sauce to insulated cup and keep covered.

For the Chicken Breading

Add ¼ cup all-purpose flour to one shallow bowl. Set aside.
Crack 2 large eggs directly into second shallow bowl. Whisk eggs vigorously until fully combined. Set aside.
Add 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons grated parmesan to third shallow bowl. Stir until ingredients are well blended.
Place one chicken cutlet in bowl of flour. Flip chicken as needed to coat all sides lightly. Shake any excess flour back into bowl.
Dip floured cutlet in egg mixture, again coating all sides. Once coated, hold chicken up and out of egg mixture, allowing excess egg to drip back into bowl.
Place chicken in panko mixture. Flip chicken as needed to coat all sides, gently pressing chicken into panko mixture to ensure breading sticks. Once coated, shake any excess breading mixture back into bowl.
Place breaded chicken on large plate and set aside. Repeat process with remaining chicken cutlets.

To Cook and Serve the Chicken Costoletta

Lay 3 to 4 layers of paper towels on flat surface, then place wire cooling rack over paper towels. Set aside.
Place large skillet on stovetop over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons avocado oil to skillet and swirl pan to coat entire surface in oil. Continue heating skillet until oil is hot and shimmery.
When oil is ready, add breaded chicken to skillet in one even layer, working in batches as needed to avoid crowding.
Pan-fry chicken 3 to 4 minutes or until breading is lightly golden. Flip chicken over and fry 3 to 4 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 160° Fahrenheit. Cook times will vary depending on thickness of breading and cutlets.
Once temperature is reached, transfer chicken to wire cooling rack and set aside to rest 5 minutes. Repeat process with any remaining chicken cutlets.
Once all cutlets have been fried and have rested, transfer chicken to serving plates with mashed potatoes and asparagus (or sides of choice). Spoon plenty of lemon cream sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Notes

Chicken Breasts: Use chicken breasts that are the same size so the cutlets will cook at the same rate.
Heavy Cream: Heating cold heavy cream too quickly can make it separate or curdle. Make sure the cream is at room temperature before beginning the recipe.
Lemon Cream Sauce: Make the sauce first so you can serve the chicken as soon as it’s ready.

The nutrition facts reflect the information for 1 serving of the fried chicken cutlets with sauce. Note, though, that it considers a serving of the sauce to be ¼ of the total amount of sauce the recipe makes, and that may be more than you actually use.

Recipe costs provided are approximate. Actual cost per recipe & serving will vary by location, store, brand, etc. Approximate cost shown does not include costs for any optional ingredients.

Nutrition

Nutrition Disclaimer

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes. Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used. To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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Recipe by Cheryl Malik

Chicken Costoletta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

🍽️ What Makes This Recipe So Good

👩🏼‍🍳 Chef’s Tips

🍗 More Delicious Chicken Dinners You’ll Love