Classic Chicken Francese Recipe
Published February 16, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This incredibly easy-to-make Chicken Francese recipe is bursting with delicious lemon flavor and is the perfect weeknight meal. Your family and friends will beg for seconds of this.
Cooking and eating chicken can be so mundane sometimes because it all starts to taste the same. If you are looking to change some things up and give your taste buds a kick, then absolutely check out my Chicken Tinga or Souvlaki.
Chicken Francese is a classic American-Italian recipe that is said to be founded in Rochester, New York. It’s a dish consisting of lightly battered chicken in seasoned flour and eggs that are fried and simmered in a tasty lemon-filled sauce.
While this recipe in its natural form is nothing short of delicious, it is incredibly versatile and can absolutely be customized to your liking. For example, you can change the protein from chicken to pork or beef. The sauce can be enhanced with fresh herbs or vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – Breast meat sliced in half is best.
- Stock – I like to use chicken stock for this, but brodo would be even better if you have any.
- Wine – Use a good white wine like pinot grigio or chardonnay.
- Eggs – You will need large eggs for this.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works perfectly.
- Fat – You will need both butter and olive oil, or a favorite oil of yours.
- Shallots – Small diced shallots will help add flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic – Finely minced cloves will take your sauce to the next level.
- Lemon – Fresh squeezed lemon juice brightens up the flavor of this dish.
- Parsley – Finely chopped and used as a garnish
How to Make Chicken Francese from Scratch
Follow these step-by-step procedures and images to make this tasty Chicken Francese from scratch:
Start by slicing the chicken breasts in half widthwise.
Optionally lightly pound each sliced chicken breast with a mallet and set aside.
Whisk together flour with salt and pepper in a dish or shallow bowl.
Next, whisk together eggs with salt and pepper in a dish or shallow bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a large frying pan or rondeau pot over medium heat. It will be ready to use when you add some flour, and it fries but does not burn.
In batches dredge a chicken breast in the flour on both sides and pat off any excess.
Next, add it to the egg wash and coat on both sides. Drain any excess.
Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 2 ½ to 3 minutes per side or until browned and just cooked through. Repeat the process with the chicken and set it aside on a plate.
Stir in the garlic and shallots in the rendered cooking oil in the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Deglaze with white wine and cook until there’s about a ½ cup of liquid left.
Next, stir in butter and flour until completely mixed.
Pour in chicken stock, or brodo, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix until combined, and turn the heat to medium-high to activate the roux and thicken.
Add back in the chicken and cook for 2-4 minutes to heat up.
Serve with lemon wheels and parsley.
Make-Ahead and Storage:
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 30 minutes ahead of time. Just keep warm in the sauce over low heat before serving.
How to Store: Cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount to a saucepan along with a few tablespoons of water and cook over low heat until hot, which takes about 4-6 minutes.
chef notes + tips
- You can swap out chicken breasts for thigh or drum meat.
- I like to use Italian or Sicilian white wine like pinot grigio but feel free to use a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay.
- Feel free to serve this with risotto, potatoes, vegetables or a cheesy pasta like cacio e pepe.
- It’s ok if the chicken is layered on the plate while the sauce is cooking or even when you are reheating the chicken as the breading will not come off for either application.
More Chicken Recipes
Video
Classic Chicken Francese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 4 chicken breasts sliced in half widthwise
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 peeled and small diced shallot
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- ¾ cup white wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Lightly pound each sliced chicken breast with a mallet between plastic wrap or in a plastic zip bag until slightly flattened and tenderized and set aside.
- Whisk together ¾ cup flour with salt and pepper in a dish, pie pan or shallow bowl.
- Next, whisk together eggs with salt and pepper in a dish, pie pan, or shallow bowl and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or rondeau pot over medium heat. It will be ready to use when you add some flour, and it fries but does not burn.
- In batches dredge the chicken breast in the flour on both sides and pat off any excess.
- Next, add it to the egg wash and coat on both sides. Drain any excess.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 2 ½ to 3 minutes per side or until browned and just cooked through. Repeat the process with the chicken and set aside on a plate. It’s ok if you layer the cooked chicken, the breading will not fall off.
- Next, stir in the garlic and shallots in the rendered cooking oil over medium heat in the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked.
- Deglaze with white wine and cook until there’s about a ½ cup of liquid left and then stir in the butter and ¼ cup of flour until completely mixed.
- Pour in chicken stock, or brodo, lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix until combined and turn the heat to medium-high to activate the roux and thicken. It will only take 4-5 minutes, or less, for the sauce to thicken.
- Add back in the chicken and cook for 2-4 minutes to heat up, turning once to make sure they’re coated.
- Serve with lemon wheels and parsley.
Great dinner. Recipe worked first time.
perfect!!
Would you recommend doubling the sauce ingredients if I want enough sauce to cover serving it over pasta?
sure
This was excellent! Your recipe and video made this so easy to make! It turned out perfect! It even looked just like yours! I also made the pasta you recommended to go with it! Thank your Chef BIlly!
fantastic!
Is there a way to make this recipe with out using wine?? Due to a medical issue, I can not have ANY alcohol ( I know most of it cooks off, but I can’t chance it!!) This recipe sounds absolutely DELICIOUS!! And I would love to make it, just can’t if you would * need* to use wine.
skip it, or use a hint of chicken stock
Prepared the francese and piccata, really good recipes. Enjoy your videos, you love what you do, thanks.
awesome
I made this heavenly chicken dish with the chef’s pasta al limone and some steamed broccoli with some oil, garlic and what else, lemon juice. Everything was amazing. Thank you!
excellent!
Oh my gosh! Made this for the first time for a Meal Train dish for a family at church, who just had their first baby. The flavor and tenderness of the chicken…and that sauce!!! WOW. I included mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, and french macarons, for dessert. Big risk that paid off…the husband/new dad is a chef…and he approved! Thank you! This is now in my arsenal of fantastic dishes!
so good!!
Made this dish last night – turned out amazing! Your recipe and instructions made it so easy. Thank you Chef Billy
love it!
I put off trying this for a long time…l was unsure about the breading schedule…eggs last?
I TOTALLY enjoyed this and will be making on a regular basis. Thank you, Billy!
love it!
Sounded a bit challenging but directions were easy to follow. Came out delicious & family loved it! Thank you Chef Parisi!
my pleasure!