Last updated on January 15th, 2023
Yesterday, to celebrate the brief burst of cool weather, I served Chicken Francese for dinner. Are you familiar with this 1950s Italian/American dish? The lightly breaded chicken cutlets are dressed in a shimmering lemon-and-wine sauce. The dinner smells as wonderful as it tastes. And it comes together in a single skillet in about 15 minutes.
To watch me make, serve, and eat this aromatic (and romantic!) dinner, watch the video above. (The video recipe is more important than the written recipe.)
Ingredients for Chicken Francese
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
A generous tablespoon of olive oil
2 lemons
All-purpose flour — enough to lightly coat each chicken cutlet (about 1 cup)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup dry French vermouth or dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
Garnish: Fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
To start, cut the chicken horizontally in half, and then pound each half to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Also, cut 1 lemon into 1/4-inch slices.
Put the flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate, and season it with salt and pepper. In a separate pie plate or shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and some salt and pepper. Then arrange a work station near your cooktop as pictured above: chicken, flour, eggs. The eggs should be quite close to a large skillet, which, of course, is resting on a burner!
Heat the butter and oil in the large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts and its foam subsides, proceed as follows: Coat both sides of one chicken cutlet first in the flour, and then in the egg mixture. Immediately place the cutlet in the hot skillet. Repeat for the remaining 3 cutlets. Fry until golden brown on the underside — about 3 minutes. Then flip the chicken over, add the sliced lemon to the pan, and continue frying until the chicken is brown and cooked through — about 3 minutes. Flip the lemon and let it brown briefly on the underside.
Transfer the cooked chicken and the lemon slices to a serving platter.
NOTE: If your skillet is not roomy enough to accommodate both the chicken and the lemon slices, just cook the chicken first. After you’ve transferred the chicken to the serving platter, briefly sauté the lemon slices and then add them to the platter.
In the same skillet over high heat, add each of the following: the dry French vermouth or dry white wine, the chicken stock, the heavy cream, and the juice of one lemon. While stirring slowly and constantly, allow the sauce to boil until it reduces and thickens a little — about 3-5 minutes. Taste the sauce carefully for seasonings — you might like to add some salt and pepper.
Spoon the sauce over the cutlets and lemon slices, garnish the works with fresh parsley leaves, and enjoy! As you saw in the video, I served my Chicken Francese on a bed a hot, cooked rice. You might prefer hot pasta or mashed potatoes.
Think you’ll give this old-school recipe a try? You can let me know by leaving a comment below.
Hungry for more? Check out my recipe for this Chicken Piccata…
And this recipe for Chicken Marsala!
Chicken Francese
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- 2 lemons
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup dry French vermouth or dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Cut the chicken horizontally in half, and then pound each half to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. I pounded my cutlets between a folded sheet or parchment paper. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper. Also, cut one lemon into 1/4-inch slices.
- Put the flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate, and whisk the eggs in a separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Season both the flour and the eggs with salt and pepper. Then arrange a work station near your cooktop as pictured: chicken, flour, eggs. The eggs should be quite close to a large skillet, which, of course, is resting on a burner.
- Heat the butter and oil in the large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts and its foam subsides, proceed as follows: Coat both sides of one chicken cutlet first in the flour, and then in the egg mixture. Immediately place the cutlet in the hot skillet. Repeat for the remaining 3 cutlets. Fry until golden brown on the underside -- about 3 minutes. Then flip the chicken over, add the sliced lemon to the pan, and continue frying until the chicken is brown and cooked through -- about 3 minutes. Flip the lemon and let it brown briefly on the underside.
- Transfer the cooked chicken and the lemon slices to a serving platter.
- NOTE: If your skillet isn't roomy enough to accommodate both the chicken AND the lemon slices, simply cook the chicken first. After you've transferred the chicken to the platter, briefly saute the lemon in the skillet, and then add it to the platter.
- In the same skillet over high heat, add each of the following: the wine, the chicken stock, the heavy cream, and the juice of the remaining lemon. While stirring slowly and constantly, allow the sauce to boil until it reduces and thickens a little -- about 3 minutes. Taste the sauce carefully for seasonings -- you might like to add some salt and pepper.
- Spoon the sauce over the cutlets and lemon slices, garnish with fresh parsley leaves, and enjoy! I like to serve my Chicken Francese on a bed of hot, cooked rice. You might prefer a bed of pasta or mashed potatoes.
Selma says
From the photos it looks like you seasoned the chicken before you put it through the flour/egg. that seasoning is not in the ingredient list. Am I incorrect in my visual of that?
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Selma – I seasoned the chicken in the video, but forgot to mention this step when I wrote out the instructions. All is fixed now, I hope!
Loretta Somerville says
Should the chicken be some kept warm while you make the sauce?
Raine D. says
I read this yesterday afternoon while having one of those “what am I going to make for supper” moments. My cupoards were almost bare & I was out of inspiration, but I did have chicken breasts, a bottle of vermouth & some lemons. An hour later we had this absolutely delicious — and I mean delicious! — Chicken Francese with steamed broccoli & asparagus & a Greek inspired salad of quinoa, cuke, tomato & parsley. Wow. Just proof that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to produce an amazing meal! Thank you, Kevin. Your name is being spoken with reverence in our home today 🙂
Annie B says
Yum. Will try this week!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Selma – If desired, you can put the chicken (on its platter) in a warm (200F) oven while you make the sauce.
Hi Raine D. – I’m so glad you enjoyed this dinner!
Hi Annie B. – Hope you enjoy this Chicken Francese!
Rosemary S says
Loved it !
I made this recipe last night and the whole dish – scalloped potatoes with garlic and chives, broccoli with lemon butter and the star of the show – Chicken Francese was fantastic. What a beautiful, fast and super easy recipe. I skipped the alcohol and it was still a lovely tasting sauce. I’m impressed with flouring first and ‘washing’ second. It does make a lovely coating and it kept the chicken that I sliced horizontally then tenderized, so moist that it melted in the mouth.
Best part was that there were more pieces of chicken than plates to fill and so supper tonight was – your baguettes (yes yours, Kevin … also a treat!) topped with a pepper and dried lemon zest mixed with a bit of mayo, a piece of this luscious chicken, red onion mixed with chopped raw arugula, and a very scant dusting of finely grated Swiss cheese.
I’ve been to heaven twice this weekend. Thanks so much for generously gifting us with so much of your time, skill and love. Much appreciated.
PS: There are two small pieces of chicken left. Just enough to make tea sandwiches for tomorrow.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Rosemary – What a nice comment to read this morning! Delighted to know that you enjoyed both the Chicken Francese AND the baguettes!
Marcella Kottmeier says
So excited to try this dish! Recently stripped the lemon tree and need to use what has not been given away. Thank you for a timely solution…
Jenny De Armond says
This was one of my mother’s recipes for when she wanted an elegant meal that the kids would still eat. Thanks for the reminder.
Jess says
This was very easy to make because your instructions and video were perfect! I was told “this tastes like an expensive entree at a restaurant”. Adding this amazing recipe to the rotation. Thanks a bunch! I did have to sub cream cheese for heavy cream as I didn’t have any – and we still loved the sauce.
Janis says
Wow. I had not made chicken Francese in years. Was my sister’s favorite birthday dinner and I made it for her every year until we moved out of state. Thanks for posting. Brought back wonderful memories. Going to make it this week.
Barbara says
where is the recipe where you used chicken thighs and legs?
Christa Fraser says
This sounds wonderful! Kevin, I love the fact that your recipes are easy and can be made quickly. I used to spend hours preparing meals for company, it was exhausting. Good food, fast, is the way to go! I will be making this soon.
Honeybee says
Aboslutly delicious! I am a skilled cook so a recipe is all I need. My sweet husband on the other hand benefits from pictures and a video. We cooked this together and he greatly benefited from the video. He says he picked up some new skills.
This recipe is a keeper we both enjoyed it very much.