Give Your Cheesecake Factory Order A Cozy Upgrade With This Side Swap

Cheesecake Factory pasta dishes include everything from Cajun jambalaya pasta to the rich and creamy carbonara pasta Da Vinci (an entrée that made our list of 12 underrated Cheesecake Factory menu items). However, if you're craving a hit of carby coziness but an entire bowl of noodles sounds like too much, give your order of crispy chicken costoletta an upgrade with a clever side swap.

Cheesecake Factory's crispy chicken costoletta is made with thinly pounded chicken breasts that are lightly breaded and fried until golden. Under the standard menu, these crunchy cutlets are served with lemon sauce, mashed potatoes, and fresh asparagus. However, ask nicely, and you can sub the veggies for a small serving of angel hair pasta to maximize the cozy quality of this comforting dish and boost its carb content. 

Simply request extra lemon sauce on the side, and you can dress your noodles at the table, adding as much of the creamy, citrusy topping as desired. The tang of the sauce is a must because it cuts through the heaviness of the chicken escalope and complements its fried flavor. That said, you don't have to order the dressing if you're employing the same side swap with other Cheesecake Factory entrees that include a saucy component or dip already, such as the grilled salmon or chicken Madeira.

The Cheesecake Factory allows simple swaps or modifications to be made to its menu items to accommodate the changing dietary needs of diners. Along with allergies and sensitivities, many customers simply want to be able to customize their dish to suit their preferences, from asking for sauce to be served on the side to requesting extra protein on a standard salad. Seeing as angel hair pasta already makes an appearance on the restaurant's existing dishes, including the chicken piccata and shrimp scampi, it makes sense for the servers to oblige. The restaurant's employees also spend over 120 hours training to get their heads around the 250 menu items so they can act as menu "tour guides" for new diners, so it's worth asking questions.

Of course, the overall calorie content of your dish will also increase when swapping a side of vegetables for pasta, but this might be right up your alley if you're carb loading before a fitness event or just want to enjoy a heartier meal. Alternatively, sub the mashed potatoes that your chicken costoletta, grilled chicken, or chicken Madeira are served with for the angel hair pasta and keep those verdant veggies on your plate for both vibrancy and dietary fiber. That might just leave room for a winning slice of Cheesecake Factory triple berry bliss.