This recipe for chicken Francese starts with thinly pounded chicken breasts. They’re lightly battered, pan-fried, and then quickly simmered in a creamy white wine sauce.
This chicken isn’t French, despite the Italian adjective. It isn’t really Italian, either — it’s a pure Italian-American restaurant classic. The recipe may be unabashedly old-school, but chicken Francese is hard to beat. Chicken cutlets are dredged in a light, Parmesan-infused batter and simmered in a creamy wine sauce for an ideal weekend feast, especially when paired with a crisp arugula salad or lightly steamed asparagus.
Ingredients
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 cup (about 4 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 cups (1 quart) lower-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 Meyer lemon or regular lemon, cut into 8 thin rounds, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Directions
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Working with one chicken breast at a time, place in a large plastic freezer bag and gently pound to 1/2-inch thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy pan. Season flattened chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper and set aside.
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Whisk together eggs and grated cheese in a shallow bowl. Place flour in another shallow bowl.
