Chicken Francese is an elegant dish that’s similar to Lemon Chicken Piccata. Crispy pan-fried chicken cutlets are simmered in a heavenly lemon-butter and white wine sauce. The chicken breading soaks up the sauce, the meat is tender and juicy, and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. Serve with pasta or rice for an elevated (but simple!) dinner.
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An Italian classic worth knowing.
Chicken Francese (or “Francaise” as it can also be spelled) sounds French, but it is actually Italian American. When Italian immigrants came to America, they brought their favorite recipes with them, including veal Francese, but they began swapping in the less costly chicken for the veal, thus creating chicken Francese.
The chicken is quickly pan fried, and then the sauce is cooked in the same pan, making clean up easy. Dinner’s on the table in just 25 minutes, including the prep time!
Advance warning: the sauce is so yummy, you will be tempted to lick it up!
Chicken Francese is similar to other buttery Italian chicken pan dishes like Chicken Marsala and Lemon Butter Chicken. Once you have the technique down, you can have fun trying each of them.
5 Star Review
“DELICIOUS. So simple and everyone loved it.”
— Brittney —
My Tips for Fantastic Chicken Francese
You’ll find the full recipe below, but here are some pointers to help you make sure this dish turns out perfect.
- Swap in Chicken Thighs. If you prefer, you can make Chicken Francese with chicken thighs. No need to slice into cutlets, but you could pound them slightly for a more even thickness.
- Make It Gluten-Free. Substitute the flour 1:1 for almond flour, chickpea flour, or your preferred gluten-free flour blend.
- Freeze the Chicken for Easy Prep. To make the chicken breasts easier to slice into cutlets, place the raw breasts in the freezer for 10-15 minutes prior to cutting.
- Use a Decent Wine. As Ina Garten says “cook with what you’d drink.” A dry white such as a crisp chardonnay or sauvignon blanc would pair nicely, both for preparing the sauce and for enjoying with the meal. If you prefer to not use wine, extra chicken broth can be substituted.
What to Serve With This Recipe
You have lots of options! Here are some of my favorites.
- Arugula Salad. Serve chicken Francese and sauce right over or alongside a nice arugula salad. So fresh!
- Bread. A fresh baguette would make a delicious vehicle for sopping sauce. You could also try making this No Knead Focaccia.
- Rice. Chicken and rice is a classic pairing. This Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe preps plenty for this dish and future meals, or if you want to go all-in on the lemon thing, try this Lemon Rice.
- Mashed Potatoes. We could eat these for a side with any dish, right? Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are easy cooking methods and another great way to get some extra servings saved for future meals.
- Pasta. Pasta, of course, would be a nice pairing keeping with the Italian theme.
Chicken Francese
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Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus a few pinches
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 lemon plus wedges for serving
- ½ cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup dry white wine or additional chicken stock
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Split each chicken breast in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces of chicken (a.k.a. chicken cutlets). While slicing, carefully place your hand on top to get a feel for whether or not you are slicing the chicken evenly. To make the chicken easier to slice, you can place it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes prior to cutting. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, beat the eggs and water. Dredge each pieces of chicken in flour, shake off the excess, then dip in the eggwash, completely coating both sides; shake of any excess (you can do all of the pieces and place them on a plate or back to the cutting board at this point, or dip the pieces as you go).
- In a large, sturdy skillet, heat olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Once the butter has melted, carefully lower a single layer of chicken pieces into the skillet (angle the chicken away from you as you set it down), ensuring they do not touch each other in the pan. Cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 to 3 minutes on the second side. Transfer the chicken to a plate, keeping it in a single layer. Repeat with remaining batch(es). If at any point the pan seems dry, drizzle in a little more oil.
- Zest the whole lemon directly over the pan. Slice half of the lemon into thin rounds and add the rounds to the pan (reserve the other half). Let the rounds sizzle for 1 minute.
- Add the wine and broth. Let simmer, stirring often, until the liquid is reduced by approximately half, about 3 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Juice the reserved lemon half into the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir to combine. Stir in the parsley. Finish the chicken with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice from the wedges, and sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve immediately with lots of the pan sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
- TO STORE: Place cooked chicken Francese in airtight storage container, with sauce stored in separate container. Eat within 3 to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: For best reheating leftovers, warm a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook on both sides until warmed through to re-crisp the chicken.
- TO FREEZE: I do not recommend freezing chicken Francese.
Nutrition
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DELICIOUS. So simple and everyone loved it
Hi Brittney! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I haven’t actually cooked this yet but will try your higher ratio of wine and addition of lemon zest to a favorite weeknight meal.
I’ve recently thought more about the name, which led me to your post. As you point out, it’s an Italian-American dish while I’ve been writing française all my life, I’m switching to francese. Weird thing, despite how I’ve written it, I’ve never heard it pronounced française. Always with a “ch” though I’m realizing now there’s a last syllable I’ve been leaving off.
Anyway, nice post; I’ll check out more of your site!
Hope you enjoy it foas!
We love this recipe! This kids do theirs with rice or pasta and hubby and I usually do zucchini noodles. Planning to try it with gnocchi next time!
So glad it’s a hit with the whole family Lisa (and gnocchi sounds DELISH)
This was a home run! I had never tried making Chicken Francaise before, but it turned out fantastic. The sauce was buttery and just the right amount of tangy, and the chicken was so flavorful. My family loved every bite, and I was so happy with how it turned out. I’ll be serving this to guests for sure!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the chicken, Karla!
The chicken was juicy with a slight crunch, and the lemony sauce was to die for. I added a sprinkle of parsley in it. I love that it was very quick and easy to make, it was simple enough to make after work. I’m already planning to make it again!
So glad to hear! Thank you Isabelle!
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this Chicken Francaise exceeded all my hopes! The chicken was tender with a lovely golden crust, and the sauce was a perfect blend of lemon and butter. It was light yet satisfying, and it made our dinner feel like a special occasion! Thank you so much!
Makes me so happy to hear, thank you Melody!