Description
Chicken Francese is a classic Italian-American dish featuring tender, thinly sliced chicken breasts lightly floured, dipped in an egg wash, and sautéed until golden. It’s served with a rich and tangy white wine and lemon butter sauce, creating a deliciously bright and savory meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 large chicken breasts, skinless boneless (250-300g / 8-10oz each)
- 1/4 cup plain/all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp milk (any fat %)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced 0.3cm / 1/8″
Sauce
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (no pepper)
Garnish
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally to create 4 thin steaks total, allowing for faster and even cooking.
- Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until fully combined. Set aside for dipping the chicken.
- Flour Coating: On a plate, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Coat each chicken steak in the flour mixture using your fingertips, shake off excess flour, and set aside.
- Heat Oil: Warm the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat to prepare for sautéing the chicken.
- Cook Chicken: Dip each floured chicken piece into the egg wash, allowing excess to drip off, then place into the pan. Cook for 3 minutes until golden on one side, flip, reduce heat to medium, and cook for an additional 4 minutes until fully cooked (internal temperature of 68°C/155°F). Remove chicken onto a plate.
- Cook Lemon Slices: Add lemon slices to the pan and cook for about one minute until softened and lightly browned, then turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Remove lemons onto a plate.
- Clean Pan: Use paper towels to wipe out the pan to remove any burnt bits and prepare for the sauce.
- Make White Wine Sauce: Over medium heat, melt the butter in the cleaned pan. Add the flour and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute to form a roux. Slowly pour in half of the chicken stock while stirring to prevent lumps, then add the remaining stock, followed by the white wine and salt.
- Thicken Sauce: Increase heat slightly and simmer the sauce for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens to a syrupy consistency.
- Combine & Serve: Return the cooked chicken and lemon slices to the pan. Spoon the sauce over the chicken thoroughly, sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired, and serve immediately, ensuring to enjoy all the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Note 1: Chardonnay provides a crisp, dry flavor, but other dry white wines can be substituted.
- Note 2: Cooking the lemon slices softens them and enhances their flavor, balancing the sauce’s richness.
- Note 3: To avoid lumps in the sauce, add stock gradually while continuously stirring the roux.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Chicken Francese, Italian chicken recipe, lemon chicken, white wine sauce, chicken breasts, sautéed chicken
