Description
Chicken Francese is a classic Italian-American dish made with lightly battered chicken cutlets pan-fried to golden perfection and finished in a buttery lemon-wine sauce. It’s bright, flavorful, and ideal for both weeknight meals and special occasions.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/2-inch thickness)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter (plus more for sauce)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1–2 lemons)
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness and season with salt and pepper.
- Place flour in one shallow dish and beaten eggs in another.
- Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into beaten eggs to coat.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter over medium heat.
- Pan-fry chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, add a bit more butter if needed and sauté garlic until fragrant (if using).
- Pour in white wine and chicken broth, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
- Add lemon juice and lemon slices. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly reduced.
- Return chicken to the skillet and spoon sauce over top. Simmer for 2–3 more minutes.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Use gluten-free flour to make the recipe gluten-free.Don’t overcrowd the pan when frying—work in batches for best results.If not using wine, replace with more chicken broth and a splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice.Add capers for extra tang, or fresh herbs like thyme for variation.To thicken the sauce slightly, stir in a small flour-butter paste or cornstarch slurry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 155mg
