Chicken Francese

This recipe for Chicken Francese is as elegant as it is easy to make.

Chicken cutlets are lightly breaded and fried and then simmered in a savory lemon wine sauce.

What is Chicken Francese?

This classic Italian-American recipe (also known as Chicken Francaise) is made with tender chicken cutlets fried in a crispy breading served with a buttery white wine lemon sauce. If you like chicken piccata, you’ll love this dish too!

It’s an easy one-skillet dish that goes from the stovetop to the table in minutes, including the sauce!
You’ll find it’s surprisingly easy to make and can be served over pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Double up the recipe and enjoy it all week long for dinners and lunches!

chicken , oil , broth , white wine , flour , parmesan , egg , butter , garlic , lemons , salt and pepper with labels to make Chicken Francese

What You’ll Need For Chicken Francese…

Chicken: I use chicken cutlets or boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. Chicken thighs are a great option as well.

Breading: This basic breading has lemon juice and parmesan cheese. Feel free to use a gluten-free flour blend or crushed pork rinds for a low-carb coating.

Sauce: For the best flavor, zest and squeeze lemon juice from fresh lemons. Grate parmesan yourself since pre-shredded parmesan has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting. White wine balances out all the flavors for a perfectly savory sauce.

Variations

Add spinach, sliced mushrooms, capers, or sundried tomatoes to the sauce in Step 9.
Fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary, or basil will add an aromatic and elegant touch to Chicken Francese.
White wine can be replaced with extra chicken broth if that’s all you have.

coating chicken in flour and parmesan egg wash to make Chicken Francese

cooked chicken in a pan to make Chicken Francese

How to Make Chicken Francaise

Prepare the lemons and combine zest and flour.
Whisk egg, lemon juice, seasonings, and parmesan.
Dredge chicken pieces in both mixtures, pan fry, (recipe below), and transfer to a plate.
Cook lemon slices and transfer to the plate with chicken.
Cook garlic and flour, whisk in wine, broth, and lemon.
Return chicken and lemon slices to the skillet and simmer.

cooked lemon slices in a pan to make Chicken Francese

white wine lemon sauce in a pan to make Chicken Francese

What to Serve with Chicken Francese

Simple entrees call for simple sides. Roasted asparagus or butternut squash and some fluffy dinner rolls are perfect for soaking up all that tasty sauce!

Storing Chicken Francese

Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat chicken and sauce in the microwave or stovetop on medium-low heat.
Enjoy leftover Chicken Francese hot or added to a cold chicken salad. Or slice and top onto a Caesar salad.
Freeze cooled chicken separately from the sauce in quart-sized zippered bags for up to one month and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Delicious Italian-Inspired Recipes

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Chicken Francese is a one-skillet entree featuring crispy breaded chicken cutlets simmered in a lemon white wine sauce.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

If using chicken breasts, cut each chicken breast in half crosswise to form 4 thinner breasts. Pound chicken to ¼-inch thickness.
Zest 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Slice half of one of the lemons into ¼-inch slices. Juice the remaining lemon to make 4 tablespoons lemon juice.
On a shallow plate, whisk lemon zest and flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Stir in the parmesan cheese.
Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and then dip into the egg mixture (reserve leftover flour mixture for the sauce).
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the skillet, in batches if needed, and brown for 3 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
For the sauce, add the butter to the skillet and add the lemon slices. Cook over medium-high heat until the slices begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic to the skillet, and cook for 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and cook for 1 minute more.
Gradually add the wine, broth, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (more to taste) and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Add the lemon slices and chicken breasts, along with juices, back to the skillet and let simmer 1 minute more to heat the chicken through.

Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat chicken and sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Freeze chicken separately from the sauce in zip-top bags for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

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Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

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