Description
Chicken Francese is a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender chicken cutlets lightly dredged in flour and egg, pan-fried to golden perfection, and simmered in a buttery lemon-white wine sauce. Elegant enough for dinner guests but easy enough for a weeknight meal, it’s zesty, savory, and full of flavor. #ChickenFrancese #LemonChicken #ItalianChicken #WeeknightDinner #ChickenRecipes #FranceseStyle #GoldenChicken #EasyChickenDinner
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
- Lemon slices (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Dredge each chicken breast in flour, shaking off the excess.
- In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with 2 tbsp of water to make an egg wash.
- Dip the floured chicken into the egg wash, coating well.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, add butter and let it melt. Pour in the white wine and lemon juice, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth and let the sauce reduce slightly, about 3-4 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer in the sauce for 3-5 minutes, spooning sauce over the top to coat.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices, if using.
- Serve immediately over pasta, mashed potatoes, or with crusty bread.
Notes
- For extra richness, swirl in an extra tablespoon of butter at the end of cooking.
- You can substitute the white wine with additional chicken broth if preferred.
- Use thin-cut chicken breasts or slice thicker ones horizontally for even cooking.
- This dish pairs beautifully with angel hair pasta or steamed veggies.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Fried
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 160mg