Delicious Italian American Chicken Francese with chicken cutlets dredged in flour, dipped in beaten eggs, and pan-fried crisp and served in a lemon white wine sauce.
This tasty chicken dish is one of our favorites. It is so easy to make, goes with so many side dishes, tastes scrumptious, and fills our hearty appetites with plenty of protein. Prepare to be wowed, my lemon-loving friends. It is very similar to my Chicken Piccata but it does not have capers.
Chicken Francese is quick and easy enough for a weeknight meal yet elegant enough for company. Chicken cutlets are dredged in flour, dipped in eggs, fried to golden perfection, and served in a luscious lemon and white wine sauce. Serve with angel hair pasta or spaghetti, oven-roasted asparagus or green beans, and a chilled glass of pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHICKEN FRANCESE
First, combine the flour, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Then beat the eggs in a separate shallow bowl.
Now heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour, then dunk them into the eggs. Let the excess egg mixture drip off. Add the chicken to the skillet and fry until golden brown on the bottom. Then flip and fry until golden brown on the other side and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate. Carefully wipe most of the oil out of the skillet.
This dish is quick and easy enough for a weeknight yet elegant enough for company. Serve with angel hair pasta or spaghetti, fresh asparagus or green beans, and a chilled glass of pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes while gently scraping the bottom of the pan to get off any browned bits. Whisk in the white wine and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes. Then add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Whisk to combine and let it simmer and thicken for a couple of minutes.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Garnish with fresh lemons slices, chopped fresh parsley, or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
RECIPE NOTES AND TIPS
Cut 2 large chicken breasts in half lengthwise, creating 4 thinner chicken cutlets. Another option is to pound the chicken thinner with a meat mallet.
I know it sounds incorrect to dip the chicken in flour first and then the egg mixture, but that is the uniqueness of this recipe.
You can use olive oil for this recipe, but I prefer vegetable oil as it browns the chicken better and gets it crispier. This dish moves pretty fast, so have what you need within your reach.
For optimal flavor, use a dry white wine like a Chenin blanc, pinot grigio, or Sauvignon blanc. It should be good quality and one that you would enjoy drinking. Don’t cook with cheap wine.
For a thicker, creamier sauce, add 1/4 cup heavy cream when making the sauce.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The breading will not stay crisp, but the cutlets are still tender with great flavor. Reheat on the stovetop on low or in the microwave at reduced power, so it heats all the way through without drying it out.
Theoretically, you can freeze this dish, but it just will not be the same. The coating on the chicken will not be crispy, so I recommend preparing what you know you will finish in one sitting.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN FRANCESE
- Garden salad or Italian salad
- Steamed broccoli, asparagus, or green beans
- French baguettes with sweet cream butter
- Garlic bread or garlic knots
- Any cooked pasta, including angel hair, spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, or rotini
- Rice or mashed potatoes
- Roasted parsnips, turnips, carrots, or cauliflower
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise creating 4 thinner breasts
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
LEMON SAUCE
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon flour
- â…” cup dry white wine
- â…” cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Parmesan cheese
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
Step 1: Combine the flour, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate shallow bowl.
Step 2: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture, then dunk them into the eggs. Let the excess beaten eggs drip off.
Step 3: Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate. Carefully wipe most of the oil out of the skillet.
Step 4: Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes while gently scraping the bottom of the pan to get off any browned bits. Whisk in the white wine and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Whisk to combine and let it thicken for a minute.
Step 5: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet with the sauce. Garnish with fresh lemon slices, chopped fresh parsley, or a sprinkle of grated Parmesan Cheese. For best results, serve promptly.
