Chicken Francese

Chicken Francese is a classic Italian-American dish that’s a staple of local trattoria menus everywhere. The chicken is dipped in seasoned flour and beaten egg, and then pan-fried and served in a thick, lush sauce made from white wine, butter and lemon. When paired with buttered noodles or a simple side of rice, chicken Francese is a hearty comfort food dinner that will bring the trattoria home.

What is chicken Francese?

While chicken Francese is similar to the lemon-and-caper-laden chicken piccata or bread crumb-crusted chicken Milanese, it doesn’t have that extra layer of bread crumbs, which gives the dish a lighter texture (and makes for a little less cleanup). It’s an easy Italian-American recipe made by coating chicken in seasoned flour, dipping it in egg and then shallow-frying it. It’s then served with a sumptuous sauce of lemon, butter and white wine.

Food historians believe the recipe for chicken Francese evolved from similar veal-based dishes, with the budget-friendly bird replacing the more expensive veal. While popular across Italian-American cuisine, the dish enjoys special status in and around Rochester, New York, where locals call it “chicken French.”

Chicken Francese Ingredients

• Chicken: Whether you prefer chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless is the best option for quick, pain-free cooking.
• Seasonings: We keep things simple with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• Flour: If you’ve ever wondered what the secret to impeccably browned cutlets is, the answer is a light coating of flour.
• Cheese: Parmesan packs a double punch, helping the flour the mixture stick to the chicken. More importantly, its savory, nutty flavor elevates this easy chicken dinner.
• Egg: The egg coating goes after the dusting of flour to help promote browning and lend an airier texture to the barely-there crust.
• Oil: We shallow-fry in regular olive oil, not extra virgin olive oil, because standard olive oil has a higher smoke point that makes it ideal for frying.
• Broth: If you have the time, I highly recommend making a batch of homemade chicken broth for this chicken Francese recipe. Otherwise, peek at our round-up of the best chicken broth brands before you hit the supermarket.
• White wine: Reach for a dry, unoaked white wine. While you want to save more spendy bottles for sipping, don’t go too cheap either. Ideally, you still want to cook with the types of wine you’d drink. Sacrifice 1/2 cup of whichever white wine you’d want to drink with chicken Francese. Make sure you avoid these common food and wine pairing mistakes when making your choice.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice only, please! Since the lemon is a more prominent flavor in the sauce, you want to make sure the juice is high-quality and not from a bottle.
• Butter: When combined with flour, butter thickens your Francese sauce while making it irresistibly rich.
• Parsley: Put that indoor herb garden to work and add a sprinkling of chopped parsley to introduce a herby lift to the dish.

Directions

Step 1: Tenderize the chicken

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Using a meat mallet, gently but firmly pound the chicken breasts to a 1/4-inch thickness.

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Slice them into cutlets approximately 1-1/2 inches wide. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

Step 2: Make the coating

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, grated Parmesan, garlic powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the egg in a second shallow bowl.

Step 3: Coat the chicken

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Dredge the first cutlet in the flour, coating each side. Gently shake off any excess flour, dip the cutlets in the egg, then let the excess drip off.

Immediately lay the cutlet in the hot pan and cook for two to three minutes per side until browned. Set the cutlet on a plate and cover to keep it warm. Repeat with remaining chicken cutlets.

Step 4: Begin the sauce

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Turn up the heat to medium-high. Pour the wine into the skillet. Simmer until the wine has dissipated, about two to three minutes. As the wine cooks down, gently loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and bring them to a simmer.

Step 5: Thicken the sauce

In a small bowl, combine the softened butter and flour to form a paste and add it to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir frequently until the sauce has thickened and reduced, about four to five minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Step 6: Add the chicken back to the pan

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Place the chicken in the skillet and toss to coat it in the sauce. Cook until heated through, about four to six minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Editor’s Tip: If your sauce looks too thick, a spoonful or two of chicken broth will loosen it back up.

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

Chicken Francese Variations

• Use sherry: One popular chicken Francese variation opts for sherry instead of white wine. Check the label for fino, amontillado or palo cortado. These dry sherries are ideal for this recipe.
• Add herbs and spices: Head to your spice cupboard to infuse the flour mixture with extra layers of flavor. A dash of paprika, Italian seasoning or cayenne pepper would be a great place to start. Some chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, basil or tarragon would do the trick as well.
• Make artichokes French: Now that you know how to make chicken Francese, swap out the chicken for artichoke hearts to turn this into a vegetarian recipe.

How to Store Chicken Francese

Once the chicken has cooled slightly, transfer the cutlets to an airtight container and then stick the container in the fridge for up to four days.

How long does chicken Francese last?

Plan to reheat and eat leftover chicken Francese within three to four days.

How do you reheat chicken Francese?

This is one of the best chicken recipes when it comes to nice, reheated leftovers. We recommend heading to the oven for an effortless, even reheat. Set the chicken in a baking dish, add a splash of the sauce, then wrap the dish with foil. This helps prevent the chicken from drying out as it warms up. Bake it at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is heated through.

Chicken Francese Tips

JOSH RINK FOR TASTE OF HOME

What’s the best wine for chicken Francese?

Unless you’re planning on opening a more expensive bottle of wine with dinner, cook with a bottle you’d drink with dinner, not an inexpensive “cooking wine.” Style-wise, a dry unoaked white wine is the gold standard for chicken Francese recipes. Look for sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio or unoaked chardonnay. Any of these styles make great pairings for chicken Francese. A glass of champagne or an elegant rosé wine would make gorgeous pairings for drinking, too, if you want to drink something different than what you put in the sauce.

Why is my chicken Francese lumpy?

Turning the butter and flour into a paste (instead of simply adding flour to the sauce) reduces the risks of a lumpy sauce, but even the best-laid plans sometimes go awry. Whisking the sauce with a trusty balloon whisk will bust up lumps. Take evasive action by melting the butter and then whisking the flour into it, as you would when making a roux. Sure, it’s an extra step, but your Francese sauce is guaranteed to be lump-free.

How can you thicken chicken Francese sauce?

With the addition of the floured butter cubes, your sauce should thicken up nicely as it cooks down. However, we have a few other tricks for thickening the sauce if things aren’t going according to plan. When in doubt, simmer the sauce for a few minutes more. If the lemon butter sauce still refuses to thicken, a little extra flour or a cornstarch slurry (made from one tablespoon each of water and cornstarch) will get the job done.

What can you serve with chicken Francese?

This divinely lemony dish is incredible when served over pasta or rice. Beyond those options, our first port of call with chicken Francese are Italian-inspired dishes like a Mediterranean salad, which has fresh, vibrant flavors that serve as the perfect foil to the rich and buttery sauce.

Veggie-based sides are a must-have on the dinner table, and green beans in red pepper sauce or a cheesy cauliflower mash are always a hit (and low-carb, but who’s counting?). As with any saucy dish, the second most important side to have on the table is bread. My favorites for chicken Francese are pull-apart garlic bread and a quick focaccia bread.