The Best Chicken Francese

This golden, lemony chicken is what dinner dreams are made of - say hello to Chicken Francese / Francaise! This Chicken Francaise recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and will become your go-to weeknight meal!

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 Chicken Breasts

• 1/4 cup (30 grams) All Purpose Flour

• ½ tsp Salt, or to taste 

• ½ tsp Black Pepper

• ½ tsp Garlic Powder

• 1 Egg

• 2 tbsp (30 ml) Olive Oil 

• 1 tbsp (15 grams) Unsalted Butter 

For the Sauce

• 2 Garlic Cloves, finely diced

• 1 cup (240 ml) Dry White Wine / Grape Juice for non alcohol version

• 2 cups (480 ml)  Chicken Broth, sodium free

• 1 Lemon, large, slice 4 thin rings from the centre, keep the ends for the juice 

• 1-2 tbsp Lemon Juice 

• 2 tbsp (30 grams) Unsalted Butter, room temperature

• 2 tbsp (15 grams) All Purpose Flour

• Salt to taste

• 1 tbsp Parsley 

Method

1. For some prep first, grab 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of flour and let’s make a quick butter-flour mash-up. Mix it till it’s smooth and all the flour is absorbed by the butter. Wrap it in parchment paper like it’s a little gift to your future self, and pop it in the fridge. We’ll need it later for our sauce.

2. Now grab two medium bowls. In one, season ¼ cup of flour with ⅛ tsp of salt and ⅛ tsp of pepper. In the other, crack in an egg, beat it up and season it too with 1 pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Set the bowls aside while you slice up a lemon, save four pretty rounds for the chicken, and squeeze the rest for juice. 

3. Lay 2 chicken breasts flat on a cutting board and slice them in half horizontally. Keep one hand on top of the chicken to steady it, and slice with the other. Now we are going to think gentle but firm. You’re going for even cutlets here.

4. Flavour is key, so lets season both sides of each cutlet with the remaining salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of garlic powder.  Next dip each seasoned chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour. Press a little so it really sticks, then dust off the excess since we want them lightly floured. 

5. Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan, then dip each cutlet in the egg, let the excess drip off and gently lay it into the pan. Golden is the goal here. Add 1 tbsp of butter for that added colour, flavour and crispness. Fry on one side, flip, and fry on the other side. Once they’re golden and glorious, set the chicken aside. Now toss in your lemon slices for a quick sizzle (literally a second or two) just enough to wake them up. Set those aside too.

6. Now for the sauce. In the same pan, add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and sauté for just a second, you don’t want it brown. Then pour in 2 cups of chicken stock, 1 cup of white wine, and 2 tbsp of lemon juice. And if you’re skipping the wine, grape juice works too.

7. Let it come to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and bring out that butter-flour cube from earlier. Whisk it in. The sauce should be silky, glossy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

8. Slide those chicken cutlets back into the pan and let them simmer, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Top each with a lemon slice and a sprinkle of parsley.

9. Serve it over spaghetti, get a crusty bread for dipping, and please pour yourself a glass of wine. You’ve earned it.