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    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.

    platter of chicken francese with lemons


     

    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

    ingredients to make a chicken francese recipe
    • 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.

    slicing a chicken breast in half

    Optionally lightly pound each sliced chicken breast with a mallet and set aside.

    pounding chicken breast with a mallet

    Whisk together flour with salt and pepper in a dish or shallow bowl.

    mixing together flour with salt and pepper

    Next, whisk together eggs with salt and pepper in a dish or shallow bowl and set aside.

    Whisking together eggs with salt and pepper

    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.

    checking the temperature of hot oil

    In batches dredge a chicken breast in the flour on both sides and pat off any excess.

    dredging chicken in seasoned flour

    Next, add it to the egg wash and coat on both sides. Drain any excess.

    coating floured chicken in egg-wash

    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.

    cooking battered chicken breast in hot oil

    Stir in the garlic and shallots in the rendered cooking oil in the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

    stirring garlic and shallots in oil

    Deglaze with white wine and cook until there’s about a ½ cup of liquid left.

    cooking deglazed garlic and shallots with wine

    Next, stir in butter and flour until completely mixed.

    making a roux in a pan

    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.

    adding chicken stock to a pan with roux

    Add back in the chicken and cook for 2-4 minutes to heat up.

    placing cooking battered chicken into a pan with thick stock

    Serve with lemon wheels and parsley.

    garnishing chicken francese with 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 Billy Parisi

    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.
    pan roasted chicken francese on a platter

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    Classic Chicken Francese Recipe

    5 from 30 votes
    This incredibly easy-to-make Chicken Francese recipe is bursting with delicious lemon flavor and is the perfect weeknight meal.
    Servings: 8
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes

    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.

    Notes

    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.
    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 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 30gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 285mgPotassium: 577mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 257IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Italian