Sweet, savory, tender, and crispy. This Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe is the very best blend of flavors and textures.
Prep: 15 minutesmins
Cook: 40 minutesmins
Total: 55 minutesmins
Recipe makes approximately 6servings
Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Plastic Wrap
Meat tenderizer (or mallet, or rolling pin)
shallow bowl
large sealable food-safe plastic bag (or container with lid)
Plate
Large skillet (with lid)
Deep fry thermometer (or wooden spoon with long handle)
Paper towels
Wire cooling rack
Tongs
Internal meat thermometer
Oven
large baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Large mixing bowl
Ingredients Needed
For the Chicken
4mediumboneless, skinless chicken breasts(approximately 6 to 8 ounces each)
1cupbuttermilk(see Notes)
2cupsall-purpose flour
1tablespoononion powder
1tablespoongarlic powder
½tablespoonpaprika
1teaspoonsalt(more or less to taste)
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper(more or less to taste)
neutral cooking oil(avocado oil, olive oil, etc.; enough to fill skillet 33%)
2tablespoonstruffle honey
For the Asparagus
1bunchasparagus(approximately ½ to ¾ pound, ends trimmed)
1tablespoonolive oil
salt(to taste)
freshly ground black pepper(to taste)
½teaspoongarlic powder
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Place chicken breasts on cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Using meat tenderizer, mallet, or rolling pin, pound chicken breasts until completely even in thickness and size. Discard plastic wrap and set chicken aside.
Pour buttermilk into shallow bowl and set aside.
Add flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to plastic bag or container with lid. Seal bag or container and shake until dry ingredients are well-blended.
Dip one chicken breast into buttermilk, making sure to cover all sides of chicken fully. Let excess buttermilk drip back into bowl, then place chicken breast in bag or container with flour mixture. Seal container and shake well until chicken is fully coated in dry ingredients. Remove chicken from container and set aside. Repeat process with remaining chicken breasts.
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is warm, add enough oil that skillet is approximately ⅓ full. Heat oil over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350° Fahrenheit according to deep fry thermometer. Note: if not using deep fry thermometer to test temperature, use handle of large wooden spoon. Insert handle into hot oil - oil is ready when it steadily bubbles around handle. Vigorous, violent bubbles mean oil is too hot; no bubbles mean oil is too cold.
While oil heats up, lay down 2 to 3 layers of paper towels. Place wire cooling rack over paper towels.
Once oil is hot, add chicken to skillet, working in batches as needed to avoid overcrowding. Fry chicken 2 to 3 minutes, then flip chicken over and fry another 2 to 3 minutes or until breading is golden brown.
When chicken is browned on both sides, reduce heat under skillet to low. Cover skillet with lid and cook chicken 10 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 155° Fahrenheit.
Uncover skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Fry chicken 2 minutes, then flip chicken over and fry another 2 minutes or until breading is extra crispy but not burnt. Transfer fried chicken to wire cooling rack and let chicken rest 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, divide chicken into desired portions and drizzle truffle honey over tops of chicken. Serve warm with asparagus and mashed potatoes or other sides of choice.
For the Asparagus
Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
Add asparagus spears, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to large mixing bowl. Toss until asparagus spears are fully coated in oil and spices, then transfer asparagus to baking sheet and spread out into one even layer. Make sure spears don't touch or overlap.
Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until asparagus spears are tender-crisp.
Once spears are fully cooked, remove baking sheet from oven. Transfer asparagus to plates with truffle honey chicken and mashed potatoes. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, you can use 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice.