Chicken Costoletta (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)

This Chicken Costoletta recreates the Cheesecake Factory favorite with thin, crispy Parmesan-panko chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and a glossy lemon-butter sauce. I’m also sharing the viral way to order it with buttery lemon spaghetti in place of the asparagus, because once that beurre blanc-style sauce hits the pasta, it’s hard to go back.

Behind This Chicken Costoletta Recipe

Chicken Costoletta is one of those Cheesecake Factory dishes where the decadent sauce makes the entire plate. I wanted my version to have that same bright, buttery lemon flavor rather than simply serving crispy chicken with a generic cream sauce, and this beurre blanc-style sauce got incredibly close to the flavor I was trying to recreate.

I’ve also been seeing the viral version all over social media where the asparagus gets swapped for spaghetti, so naturally I had to make both. The classic plate gets mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus, while the alternate version gets mashed potatoes and thin spaghetti tossed in the lemon-butter sauce. You’ll see both versions in the photos so you can choose your own adventure.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Make the beurre blanc last. The chicken can rest and the sides can stay warm, but the lemon butter sauce is at its glossy best shortly after it’s made.
• Keep the butter cold. Cold cubed butter incorporated gradually helps create the creamy emulsion rather than simply melting into a pool of butter.
• Don’t boil the finished sauce. Once the butter goes in, keep the heat extremely low or remove the saucepan from the heat altogether. Excessive heat can cause the sauce to separate.
• Get the oil hot before frying. Aim for approximately 350°F when the chicken goes into the skillet. Oil that’s too cool can leave the breading oily rather than crisp.
• Use my low-mess breading trick. Put the flour and breadcrumb mixtures in separate piles on a long sheet of foil with the egg dish between them. When you’re finished, the foil gets tossed instead of washing two additional dishes.
• Press on the panko. Don’t just lightly roll the chicken through the breadcrumbs. Gently press the Parmesan-panko mixture against each cutlet for a substantial, crispy coating.

Ingredients You’ll Need & Why

There are a few components to this Chicken Costoletta, but most of the ingredients are familiar pantry staples. The chicken and lemon-butter sauce are the stars, while the sides can be prepared according to which version you’d like to serve.

Chicken cutlets. Thin cutlets cook quickly enough for the Parmesan-panko coating to become deeply golden without overcooking the chicken.

Flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Seasoning the flour means we’re building flavor into the breading from the very first layer.

Eggs. Vigorously beaten eggs create the sticky middle layer that holds all those crispy breadcrumbs in place.

Italian panko and Parmesan. Panko gives the chicken a lighter, crunchier texture than traditional fine breadcrumbs, while Parmesan adds savory flavor to the crust.

Neutral oil. Choose an oil suitable for frying, such as avocado, vegetable or canola oil.

Fresh lemon juice and chicken stock. These create the bright, savory base of the sauce. White wine can replace the chicken stock if you prefer.

Scallions, heavy cream and cold butter. Scallions provide mild onion flavor while cream helps stabilize the sauce. Whisking cold butter gradually into the reduced lemon mixture creates its rich, glossy finish.

Mashed potatoes, asparagus and thin spaghetti. Mashed potatoes stay on both versions of the plate. Add sautéed asparagus for the classic presentation or thin spaghetti tossed with lemon-butter sauce for the viral variation.

The Viral Chicken Costoletta with Spaghetti

The classic Cheesecake Factory-style plate pairs crispy Chicken Costoletta with mashed potatoes and asparagus, but there’s another version making the rounds on social media that swaps the asparagus for spaghetti (also drizzled in that dreamy lemon sauce).

And yes, that means you’re eating mashed potatoes and pasta with your chicken. We’re embracing it.

Cook about 6 ounces of thin spaghetti, then toss it with several spoonfuls of the warm lemon-butter sauce before adding it to the plate alongside the mashed potatoes. I especially love this version because the pasta gives you another excuse to eat more of that sauce.

How to Make Chicken Costoletta

The most efficient approach is to have your mashed potatoes ready first, then bread and fry the chicken before finishing the sides and sauce. Making the beurre blanc-style sauce last means it can go almost directly from the saucepan to the plate.

1. Get the sides ready

Prepare your mashed potatoes and keep them covered and warm. Trim the asparagus if you’re making the traditional version.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil if you’re making the spaghetti variation, but wait to cook the pasta until the chicken is nearly finished.

2. Set up the breading station

Lay a long sheet of aluminum foil across your work surface. Place the flour mixed with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow pile on one end. Combine the Italian panko and Parmesan in another shallow pile on the opposite end. Set a shallow dish containing the vigorously whisked eggs between the two.

Working with one cutlet at a time, thoroughly coat both sides in seasoned flour and shake away the excess. Dip it into the eggs, letting excess egg drip away, then transfer to the Parmesan-panko mixture. Press the breading firmly against both sides of the chicken.

3. Fry the chicken

Add about 1/2 inch of neutral oil to a large skillet and heat to approximately 350°F.

Working in batches to avoid crowding the skillet, fry the chicken for about 3–4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the oil around 325–350°F. The crust should be crisp and deeply golden and the center of the chicken should reach 165°F.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate.

4. Finish your sides

For the traditional version, sauté the asparagus in a little olive oil over medium-high heat with salt and pepper until bright green and crisp-tender, about 4–6 minutes depending on thickness.

For the spaghetti version, cook the thin spaghetti in salted water according to package directions until tender. Drain and set aside briefly while you make the sauce.

5. Make the lemon beurre blanc-style sauce

Add the fresh lemon juice, chicken stock or white wine, scallions and 2 tablespoons heavy cream to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 3 minutes so the mixture reduces slightly.

Reduce the heat to its lowest setting or remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons heavy cream.

Add the cold cubed butter a few pieces at a time, whisking continuously and allowing each addition to emulsify before adding more. Continue until all the butter is incorporated and the sauce is creamy, smooth and glossy. Season with salt and pepper.

Keep the sauce warm over very low heat and do not allow it to boil.

If you’re serving the spaghetti version, toss the warm pasta with a few generous spoonfuls of sauce.

6. Assemble

Spoon a little lemon butter sauce onto each plate first. Add the mashed potatoes and either sautéed asparagus or lemon-butter spaghetti, followed by the crispy Chicken Costoletta.

Drizzle warm sauce generously over the chicken and sides. Finish with minced parsley and thin strips of fresh lemon peel.

Variations & Substitutions

Use white wine in the sauce. Replace the chicken stock with a dry white wine for a more traditional beurre blanc-style base.

Use chicken stock instead. This is my go-to version and keeps the sauce savory while allowing the lemon and butter to remain front and center.

Skip the spaghetti. Mashed potatoes and sautéed asparagus give you the classic restaurant-style presentation.

Make the viral version. Replace the asparagus with thin spaghetti and toss the pasta with some of the sauce before plating.

Use regular panko. Italian panko adds another layer of seasoning, but plain panko works if that’s what you have. You may want to season it lightly.

More Recipes to Try

If you love recreating Cheesecake Factory favorites at home, there are a few more copycat recipes you need to try. My Cheesecake Factory Southern Fried Chicken Sliders have crispy chicken tucked into soft slider buns, while the Cheesecake Factory Orange Chicken is perfect when you’re craving one of their classic sweet and savory entrées.

For something with a little more heat, try my Cheesecake Factory Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets, with crispy bite-sized chicken coated in that signature spicy Nashville-style sauce. Together with this Chicken Costoletta, you can basically start building your own Cheesecake Factory menu at home.

Have you tried this Chicken Costoletta? If so, I’d love to hear what you thought! Leave a comment below with your questions or feedback. Your reviews help other readers in the Bad Batch Baking community decide what to make next.

Be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking on social media using #badbatchbaking so I can see your creations!

How to Serve & Store Leftovers

Chicken Costoletta is best served immediately while the Parmesan-panko coating is still crisp and the lemon butter sauce is warm and glossy. Serve it over a little pool of sauce with mashed potatoes and asparagus for the traditional presentation or mashed potatoes and lemon-butter spaghetti for the viral variation.

For leftovers, I recommend storing the chicken, sauce and sides separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in the oven or air fryer to restore as much of the crispy coating as possible.

Be especially gentle reheating the sauce. Warm it slowly over very low heat while whisking. Avoid boiling it, which can cause a butter-emulsified sauce to separate.