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In the chicken francese recipe, tender chicken breast halves are lightly breaded, pan-fried, and finished in a bright lemon-butter sauce. Wonderfully flavorful, hassle-free, and elegant this easy chicken dinner is about it make it to your favorites list.
Simple yet sophisticated, this delectable chicken francese presents the senses with the perfect combination of tastes and textures. Each bite of tender chicken is coated in a delicate, ever so slightly crisp breading. Yum. The real star, however, is the vibrant sauce that combines bright hints of lemon, deeply savory chicken stock, rich butter, and a bit of white wine. The sauce thickens to a smooth, velvety texture as it cooks and blankets the chicken, seeping into the breading for an explosively flavorful bite.
Not only is this chicken dinner delicious, but it looks good too. Plus, it’s easy to throw together. Chicken francese only takes 35 minutes to make and is sure to impress both your taste buds and your guests.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Chicken Francese
I have so much good to say about this elegant, easy chicken recipe. Here are just a few reasons why I think you’ll love it just as much as I do.
- Well-balanced flavors. The sauce for this dish is out-of-this-world. It strikes the perfect balance between rich (thank you butter!) and refreshing (love me some lemon). The addition of white wine and fresh parsley will send your taste buds on a mouthwatering delicious journey.
- Perfect texture. The light, crisp breading paired with the velvety sauce, makes this chicken is irresistible.
- Quick and easy preparation. This straightforward recipe allows you to whip up a crave-worthy, elegant meal in just 35 minutes. It’s the perfect choice for busy weeknight dinners as well as those special occasions when you’d prefer to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones.
- Impressive yet approachable. This chicken francese is so easy to make but man is it impressive. Elegant presentation and sophisticated flavors with very little effort? Sign me up!
What is Chicken Francese?
Chicken Francese is a classic Italian-American dish. It features lightly battered chicken breasts that are browned to just the right amount of crispy and finished in the pan with a lemon butter sauce. The dish is simple, yet elegant and perfect for entertaining.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of ingredients needed to make this easy chicken francese recipe. For exact measurements, scroll to the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts – Ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken breasts or do so yourself by slicing each breast in half.
- Salt
- Pepper
- All-purpose flour – A 1:1 gluten-free flour will work just as well.
- Eggs
- Water
- Olive oil
- Butter
- All-purpose flour – Feel free to use a 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
- Lemon
- Dry white wine
- Chicken broth
- Chopped parsley
How to Make Chicken Francese
Well, now that you’ve heard all about how incredibly delicious this chicken dish is, it’s time to learn how to make it. Here’s a quick overview. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prepare to bread the chicken. Butterfly the chicken and set aside. Whisk together the salt, pepper, and flour in one bowl and the eggs and water in another.
Bread the chicken. Dredge each chicken breast (both sides) in the flour mixture and then in the egg mixture.
Pan-fry the chicken. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes on either side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Make the sauce. Add the butter and flour to the skillet and whisk until clump-free. Whisk in the lemon juice, white wine, and broth. Add the lemon slices. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens a bit.
Add the chicken. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with sauce.
Serve. Serve over mashed potatoes with fresh parsley.
Tips for Success
Want to ace this chicken francese recipe the first time around? Have a look at the following tips and tricks. They are sure to set you off on the right foot.
- Use even pieces of chicken. Aim for evenly sized and evenly thick chicken breast halves. This will ensure that all of the chicken pieces cook evenly throughout and are finished at the same time. You can pound the chicken to an even thickness before coating it in the flour mixture if needed.
- Get the temperature right. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Oil that is too cold won’t sear the chicken properly and will likely end you with a soggy breading. Oil that is too hot will burn the breading.
- Shake it off. When dredging the chicken in the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour to prevent the coating from becoming too thick and clumpy.
- Don’t crowd the pan. If your pan isn’t big enough to fit all of the chicken with plenty of room to wiggle, cook it in batches. If you crowd the pan, the chicken will not sear properly and will likely become soggy.
- Use fresh lemon juice. Trust me. The flavor is just so much more vibrant than the bottled stuff.
Serving Suggestions
This mouthwatering chicken dish is super versatile and loves company. Here are some of my favorite things to serve it with.
- Over pasta. Nothing screams Italian-American like chicken and pasta. You’ve got the chicken. Now serve it with your favorite pasta dish. Try my Creamy Lion’s Mane Mushroom Pasta, One Pot Pasta with Ricotta and Lemon, or this One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta
- Potatoes. Serve this saucy chicken over steaming hot Garlic Mashed Potatoes or with my Scalloped Potatoes or these Parmesan Garlic Ranch Butter Smashed Potatoes.
- Bread. To complete this Italian-inspired meal, serve chicken francese with a side of garlic bread or crusty Italian bread to soak up the delicious sauce. Try my Kiss Me If You Dare Extra Garlicky and Cheesy Bread or these Garlic Herb Parker House Rolls.
- Salad. Add some freshness to your plate with a nice green salad. I have been loving this Vegan Caesar Salad and this Chopped Endive and Romaine Salad.
- Cooked veggies. Not a salad person? Get your veggies in with this Crazy Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Parmesan Carrots, or my Green Bean Casserole.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerator. Allow the chicken to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container together with the sauce. You can keep the chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer. Once the chicken has come to room temperature, seal it with the sauce in an airtight container. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the chicken to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat. Place the chicken and the sauce in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 300 degrees F for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
I love that you can make a thousand chicken recipes and still find more ways to prepare this versatile protein. This Italian-American chicken francese is delicious but make sure to check out these other easy chicken recipes as well.
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Moo Shu Chicken
- Garlic Butter Chicken
- Easy Chicken Marsala
- Greek Chicken Souvlaki
Chicken Francese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts, butterflied
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup (94 g) all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 lemon, half cut into rounds, the other half juiced
- ½ cup (118 ml) dry white wine
- 1 ½ cup (355 ml) chicken broth
- ¼ cup (15 g) chopped parsley
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken by slicing each breast in half.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together salt, pepper and flour.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and water.
- Preheat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then in the egg mixture. Add directly to the pan. Sear for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through (165 °F (74 °C) internal temp).
- Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Add in butter and flour and whisk until no clumps remain.
- Whisk in lemon juice, white wine, broth and lemon slices. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken. Add back in the chicken and coat with sauce. Serve with chopped parsley.
Hi Julie, I’m a fan of everything lemon. I want to make the chicken francese but I can’t have alcohol. Is there a better substitute than adding more broth? I’d like to taste the recipe with that hint of wine.
i think the closest alcohol “taste” replication would be white vinegar. it’s pretty acidic so i’d dilute it a bit or use a splash to taste then add more if necessary.