This chicken francese recipe is battered chicken breasts that are pan fried to golden brown perfection, then topped with a savory lemon sauce. An easy and unique dinner option that always gets rave reviews!
Whenever I see chicken francese on a restaurant menu, I have to order it. I just love that combination of crispy chicken in a light lemon sauce. I’ve learned to make this dish at home, and I have to say, I think my version is even better than what you’d get at a restaurant!
To make this recipe, you will need thin cut boneless skinless chicken breasts, flour, salt, black pepper, large eggs, milk, extra virgin olive oil, butter, fresh lemons, dry white wine, chicken broth and parsley.
The Francaise sauce is basically a lemon beurre blanc with an Italian twist adding garlic to the sauce. It can, however, be made in many different ways, with the key ingredients being butter, white wine, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Garlic or shallots can be added, as well as heavy cream and fresh herbs and spices.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
- This dish works best with either chicken cutlets or thin sliced chicken breasts. You can buy chicken breasts that are already cut thin, or you can make your own by slicing thicker chicken breasts in half lengthwise. You can also make this dish with chicken tenders.
- I recommend serving your chicken with side dishes such as sauteed mushrooms and onions, air fryer baked potatoes, mustard greens with bacon, make ahead mashed potatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes or cauliflower mashed potatoes.
- Use a white wine that you wouldn’t mind drinking, such as a Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
- Chicken francese is best when you serve it immediately. You can store any leftovers in the fridge, but the coating on the chicken may soften over time. Reheat leftovers on the stove over low heat until warm.
Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, it has a much better flavor than the bottled stuff.
Chicken francese is a derivation of a traditional Italian dish that was originally made with veal. It is an Italian-American creation popular in the New York region. It consists of battered chicken cutlets in a lemon, butter and white wine sauce.
I do not recommend freezing chicken francese as the coating will be soft when thawed. If you need to freeze the dish, you could try thawing the chicken in the frigde then sauteeing it in olive oil over medium high heat to re-crisp the crust and heat it through.
Both chicken francese and chicken milanese are pan fried chicken cutlet dishes. Milanese tends to use a breadcrumb coating, whereas francese is seasoned flour, milk and eggs. Milanese typically does not involve sauce, and instead is topped with a salad mixture.
How Do You Make Chicken Francese?
Place the chicken breasts in between pieces of plastic wrap, then use a meat mallet to pound the chicken to an even thickness. You’re looking to make thin cutlets. Next, mix together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place the eggs and milk in a separate bowl, and whisk to combine. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess coating. Dip the chicken in the egg batter. Heat olive oil in a pan or large skillet, then add the chicken to the pan in a single layer. Pan fry the chicken on both sides until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm.
Make the sauce by melting butter in the pan, then adding some lemon slices. Cook the lemon slices for a few minutes, then remove them from the pan. Add more butter, along with flour, and whisk to combine. Pour in white wine and let it simmer, then add some chicken broth and cook until the sauce has thickened. Stir in lemon juice and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Finally, return the chicken to the pan. Spoon the lemon butter sauce over the chicken, them add the lemon slices and parsley, and serve.
Easy Chicken Francese Recipe
FAQ
What is Francese made of?
What’s the difference between francese and piccata sauce?
How do you thicken francaise sauce?
What does francese mean cooking?
What is the sauce for Chicken Francese?
The sauce for Chicken Francese is usually made in the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in. Its main ingredients are chicken broth, butter, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Some recipes call for the addition of white wine or vermouth, but these ingredients are optional.
What are the ingredients for Chicken Francese?
The ingredients for chicken Francese are fairly straightforward. Shown above are parsley, eggs, butter, lemons, thin-sliced chicken cutlets, and flour. You will also need dry white wine, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below. Slice 1 lemon into thin slices as shown.
How do you make fried chicken in Francese sauce?
Salt the slices of chicken on both sides, dredge in flour and then in the beaten egg. These slices are then fried in a pan with vegetable oil until golden in color. Don’t worry if they aren’t cooked through because we finish cooking the chicken in the sauce. After all the chicken has been prepared we set it aside and make the Francese Sauce.
What is Chicken Francese?
Chicken Francese is a delicious chicken dish where the chicken is fried and then cooked in a delicious lemon sauce. It can often be confused with chicken piccata. The difference between Francese and Piccata is the order in which you dip your chicken! Piccata dips the chicken in eggs first and then the flour.