How to Make Chicken Francaise – A Classic Italian-American Dish

Chicken francaise is a tasty Italian-American dish made with chicken cutlets dipped in egg and flour, then cooked and covered in a lemony butter sauce. With its fancy French name and fancy presentation, chicken francaise looks fancy, but it’s actually really simple to make at home.

This guide will show you how to make chicken francaise from beginning to end, from preparing the chicken to making the famous sauce. After reading this, you’ll be able to make this chicken dish at home that tastes like it came from a restaurant.

Overview of Chicken Francaise

It is made of thin chicken cutlets that are dredged in flour, dipped in egg wash, and then fried in butter or olive oil until golden brown and crispy. After the cutlets are done cooking, chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice, and butter are used to make a sauce. Before serving, the sauce is poured over the fried chicken cutlets and cooked for a short time.

With its tangy lemon flavor and silky texture, the sauce is truly the star of chicken francaise. It balances the richness of the fried chicken perfectly. A garnish of chopped parsley adds a pop of freshness and color.

Chicken francaise is usually served with starch on the side, like mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. It’s a great dish for date nights, small dinner parties, or anytime you want an elegant meal that still feels homey and comforting.

Ingredients Needed

For the chicken:

• Chicken breasts or thin chicken cutlets
• All-purpose flour
• Eggs
• Milk or half-and-half
• Vegetable oil or olive oil for frying
• Kosher salt and black pepper

For the sauce:

• Chicken broth
• Dry white wine
• Fresh lemon juice
• Unsalted butter
• Shallot or onion
• Fresh parsley

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these simple steps for flawless chicken francaise every time:

1. Prepare the Chicken

• If using whole chicken breasts, slice them horizontally to create 2 thin cutlets from each breast.
• Place cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to gently pound and flatten them to an even thickness.
• Season the cutlets all over with salt and pepper.

2. Set Up the Breading Station

• Place flour in a shallow bowl or dish. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• In another shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk or half-and-half, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Bread the Chicken

• Working one cutlet at a time, dredge the chicken thoroughly in the flour, shaking off excess.
• Dip the floured cutlet into the egg wash, allowing excess to drip off.
• Return to the flour and coat again, pressing gently to adhere.
• Set aside on a plate or sheet pan as you bread the remaining cutlets.

4. Pan Fry the Chicken

• Heat 1/4 inch of oil or butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• When oil is shimmering, add cutlets in a single layer without overcrowding.
• Cook 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden.
• Transfer fried cutlets to a paper towel-lined plate.

5. Make the Sauce

• Pour off all but 1 Tbsp oil from skillet.
• Add shallot and cook 1 minute until softened.
• Whisk in a bit of flour and cook 2 minutes.
• Pour in chicken broth, wine, and lemon juice. Simmer until thickened.
• Remove from heat and whisk in butter and parsley.

6. Finish the Dish

• Return chicken cutlets to skillet and turn to coat in sauce.
• Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes to heat through.
• Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or more lemon juice.
• Garnish with parsley before serving.

And that’s it! With these simple steps, you’ll have a restaurant-worthy chicken francaise in about 45 minutes. The key is taking care to properly bread and fry the chicken until super crispy, and letting the sauce reduce and thicken for maximum flavor.

Serving Suggestions

Chicken francaise tastes amazing when served over:

• Fluffy mashed potatoes or creamy polenta
• Buttered noodles or pasta like linguine or angel hair
• Steamed white or brown rice
• Roasted vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or green beans

For an easy one-pan meal, try cooking cubed potatoes or rice right in the skillet after frying the chicken. Then proceed with making the sauce.

A crisp green salad or steamed broccoli rabe are also excellent accompaniments. And don’t forget to have crusty bread on hand for dipping in that delicious lemony sauce!

Tips for Perfect Chicken Francaise

• For even cooking, pound the chicken to an equal thickness of 1/2″.
• Allowing excess egg to drip off prevents gummy breading.
• Use a thermometer to monitor oil temp. Ideal is 375°F.
• Work in batches. Do not overcrowd chicken in the pan.
• Let sauce reduce by half to achieve a nicely thickened consistency.
• Add lemon juice and salt/pepper to taste – sauce seasoning can vary.
• Garnish with parsley just before serving for optimum freshness.

Variations

Once you master the classic, try these fun chicken francaise twists:

• Use thinly sliced prosciutto in place of flour when breading.
• Add capers, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce.
• Stuff cutlets with spinach, roasted red peppers, or fontina before breading.
• For chicken piccata, use chicken stock only and add capers to the pan sauce.
• Substitute white wine vinegar for the lemon juice.