Chicken Francese
Ingredients
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- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts – sliced into 4 cutlets and pounded 0.25 inch thick (~4 n/a chicken breasts)
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper – freshly ground
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour – for dredging
- 3 large eggs – beaten
- 1 tbsp water – mixed into eggs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter – for sautéing
- 2 medium lemons – 1 thinly sliced; remainder juiced to yield 0.25 cup
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour – whisked with water to make slurry
- 2 tbsp water – for slurry
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter – to finish sauce
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
1. Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into 4 even cutlets, then pound to about 0.25 inch thick. Pat dry and season all over with the kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Set up dredging: Put the 0.75 cup flour in a shallow dish. In a second dish, beat the eggs with 1 tbsp water until smooth.
3. Prep lemons: Thinly slice half of one lemon and set the slices aside. Juice the remaining lemon and a half to yield about 0.25 cup lemon juice.
4. Heat the pan: In a large 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil with 2 tbsp butter over medium to medium-high heat until the butter foams.
5. Fry lemon slices: Dredge the lemon slices lightly in the flour, shake off excess, and fry until lightly golden at the edges, 30–45 seconds per side. Transfer to a plate.
6. Cook the chicken: Working in batches, dredge each cutlet in the flour, shake off excess, then dip in the egg to coat and let excess drip back. Lay in the hot skillet and cook until deep golden and just cooked through (165°F), 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate; tent loosely with foil.
7. Make the pan sauce: Pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tbsp. Add the white wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by about half, 2–3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and the reserved lemon juice; bring to a lively simmer and cook until slightly reduced, 3–5 minutes.
8. Thicken and finish: Whisk together 1 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp water to make a smooth slurry, then whisk it into the simmering sauce. Cook, whisking, until glossy and lightly thickened, 1–2 minutes. Off heat, swirl in the remaining 2 tbsp butter until emulsified.
9. Coat and serve: Return the cutlets (and any juices) and the fried lemon slices to the skillet, turning to coat; simmer gently 1–2 minutes to warm through. Transfer to plates, spoon over sauce, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Chicken francese is a beloved Italian‑American cutlet dish featuring thin chicken coated in a flour-then-egg batter, pan-fried until golden, and napped in a bright lemon, white wine, and butter sauce. The texture is tender inside with a delicate, lightly crinkled exterior that soaks up a glossy, tangy pan sauce. Fried lemon slices add aroma and a gentle bitterness that balances the sauce’s richness, while a final swirl of butter gives it a silky finish.
Though its name sounds French, Chicken francese (also called Chicken Française or Chicken French) is an Italian‑American creation, closely related to veal francese and distinct from chicken piccata. The dish rose to prominence in Italian‑American restaurants in the mid‑to‑late 20th century, with strong ties to upstate New York, where it became a regional staple. It reflects the immigrant adaptation of veal dishes to more affordable chicken, preserving Old World lemon‑butter pan techniques in a new culinary context.