Easy Chicken Francaise

Chicken Francaise in pan with sliced lemon and pan sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Ready to bring a little sunshine to your dinner table? Chicken Francaise is just the ticket. It's a fuss-free recipe that promises elegant flavors, brightened with a kiss of lemon!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian American

Servings: servings

Calories: 504kcal

Author: Marie

Equipment

large skillet or pan
fine mesh strainer (optional) helpful for straining sauce
cutting board to slice chicken into thin cutlets
large knife to slice cutlets
Juicer (optional) to juice lemons (helpful but can do by hand)

Ingredients

For the Meat:

2 pounds chicken breasts (skinless) sliced into thin cutlets (pounding is optional for even thickness)

For Dredging

Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water

For Cooking

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more as needed for cooking
2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more as needed for cooking

For the Sauce

For Garnish

1 lemon sliced for garnish
Fresh parsley chopped for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken:

It is completely optional, but if you have time, soak the chicken in baking soda water see NOTE 1 below.
Set up your workstation. You will need a dish for the flour, a deep dish for the egg wash, and a dish to place the chicken after it has been dipped in the flour and then the egg.
In dish one, add flour and season the flour with salt and pepper.
In the second dish, prepare the egg wash by lightly beating the eggs with the water.
Dredge each piece of sliced chicken in flour, shaking off excess.
Then, dip the floured chicken into the egg mixture, coating both sides and set aside on a baking tray or large dish.

Cook the Chicken:

Heat a large skillet and add oil and butter over medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken in batches (do not crowd the pan) for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the chicken and the power of your burner.
Remove the chicken and set it aside on a warm plate or place it in the oven covered to keep warm between 200°F and 250°F (93°C to 121°C) while you make the sauce.

Make the Sauce:

After all the chicken has been cooked and removed from the pan, add the white wine to deglaze the pan and cook for about 1 minute to cook off the alcohol.
Add lemon juice and broth; bring to a slow boil, scraping up any brown bits from the pan.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly and thicken it.
Taste the sauce and adjust for salt and pepper if needed.
Optional: You can add a tablespoon of butter at the end for a richer sauce.

Serve:

Return the chicken to the pan and coat it with the sauce (if the sauce has a lot of brown bits in it, you can strain it using a fine mesh strainer before adding back the chicken).
Garnish with thin lemon slices and freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

Note 1: Place the cutlets into a medium-sized bowl with enough water to cover the chicken and one teaspoon of baking soda to tenderize the chicken. Mix well and allow to stand for 15 to 20 minutes. After soaking, rinse well under cold water and pat dry.

Nutrition estimate: The recipe may be easily halved for smaller appetites (using one pound of chicken to provide 4-ounce servings for four people versus using two pounds of chicken for 8-ounce servings for four people). Half the remaining ingredients as well.

Nutrition