Chicken Francese

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 06/24/21
Chicken Francese

 The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Total: 28 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
812 Calories
64g Fat
24g Carbs
30g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 812
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 64g 83%
Saturated Fat 25g 126%
Cholesterol 328mg 109%
Sodium 604mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 30g
Vitamin C 16mg 80%
Calcium 120mg 9%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 548mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Chicken francese may sound like a dish straight out of Italy or France. But it is, in fact, a classic American restaurant dish. This delicious chicken is coated in flour and egg and then lightly fried and finished with super-tasty lemon sauce, so easy to cook and can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

The dish has translated from its restaurant origins straight into the repertoire of the home cook as it makes both a great quick, midweek supper and works so well for a special occasion too. The recipe easily scales up to double or even triple, depending on how many you are feeding.

Ingredients

  • 1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 2 large eggs

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 shallot, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup dry white wine

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

  • Lemon wedges, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Cut chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces.

  3. Place flour into a shallow bowl large enough to hold the chicken breast. In another shallow bowl as above, beat eggs together with a generous pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

  4. Heat oil and butter together in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat.

  5. While pan is pre-heating, gently press both sides of chicken fillets into the flour and shake off any excess. Then dip into egg one at a time, lift to drain off any excess, then quickly transfer to the frying pan.

  6. Cook fillets for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and lightly crispy. Lift from pan carefully using a spatula, lay onto a plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.

  7. Keep frying pan on medium heat, add the shallots, and stir well. Cook for 3 minutes to soften shallot.

  8. Increase heat to medium-high, add white wine and stir, then let wine reduce by half.

  9. While sauce is reducing, heat a small skillet and add lemon wedges, if using. Cook for 2 minutes on each side to slightly caramelize edges.

  10. Add chicken broth and remaining lemon juice to sauce and stir well. Cook for 3 minutes, then stir in cream and parsley. Let bubble for a couple of minutes.

  11. Serve chicken cutlets with sauce, lemon wedges (if using), and green
    vegetables, potatoes, or rice on the side.

Variation

  • If desired, adding a tablespoon or two of finely grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce to finish is a delicious twist on the classic recipe.