30-Minute Chicken Francese
Dredged in flour and egg, then seared and swimming in a savory-tart lemon butter sauce, this chicken francese comes together in 30 minutes.
Serves4
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook15 minutes to 20 minutes
Take me to a classic Italian-American restaurant and it’s all but guaranteed I’ll order chicken Francese. It’s also become a staple in my weekly meal plan, because in just about 30 minutes I can be tucking my fork into seared chicken cutlets swimming in a savory-tart lemon butter sauce. It’s the ultimate chicken dinner for lemon-lovers.
Swap Thick Chicken Breast for Thin Cutlets
When making chicken Francese, you’ll want to swap your standard boneless chicken breast for thinner, quicker-cooking cutlets — the convenient grocery store buy that helps you get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. You can expect to pay a little more for cutlets, which are cut from chicken breasts and prepped by your grocery store butcher.
Already have some chicken breasts in the freezer? Don’t worry — you can certainly trim them into cutlets at home. Just slice the breasts horizontally starting at the thick end into 1/4-inch-thick cutlets (this is also known as butterflying).
30-Minute Chicken Francese
Dredged in flour and egg, then seared and swimming in a savory-tart lemon butter sauce, this chicken francese comes together in 30 minutes.
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 15 minutes to 20 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup
plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 2
large eggs
- 2 tablespoons
water
- 1/4 cup
canola or vegetable oil
- 4
boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 1 pound total)
- 1/2
large lemon, sliced thinto thin rounds and seeds removed
- 1 cup
low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup
dry white wine
Juice 1/2 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons
coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
Place 1/2 cup of the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper in a wide, shallow bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk the eggs and water together in a separate wide, shallow bowl.
Heat the oil in a 10-inch or larger skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Dredge the cutlets in the flour, fully coating both sides and shaking off any excess. (You may have to cook the chicken in batches to avoid crowding the pan.)
Coat the cutlets with the egg mixture. Let any excess drip off and add to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with any remaining cutlets if needed.
Pour off and discard the oil in the skillet. Add the lemon slices to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, broth, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, use your fingers to rub the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour into the butter in a small bowl to make a paste.
Add the paste to the sauce and whisk constantly until melted. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with the parsley before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.