TL;DR
What it is for: An elegant but simple 30-minute dinner for four: tender egg-battered chicken cutlets in a bright lemon butter sauce, served over pasta or with vegetables.
- This chicken francese recipe uses ¼-inch cutlets dipped in flour, then egg, and pan-fried 2–3 minutes per side.
- The sauce: white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice and cold butter, reduced in the same pan.
- Francese has an egg coating and no capers; piccata has a flour coating and capers.
- Serve over angel hair or with green beans; ready in about 30 minutes.
This chicken francese recipe pounds chicken breasts into thin cutlets, dredges them in flour, dips them in egg and pan-fries them in oil and butter for 2–3 minutes per side. The cutlets then simmer briefly in a sauce of white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice and butter. It serves four and takes about 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
What is chicken francese?
Chicken francese, also spelled chicken francaise, is an Italian-American dish of thin chicken cutlets coated in flour and egg, pan-fried until golden and served in a lemon butter sauce. The name means “French-style,” but the dish comes from Italian-American restaurants in the northeastern United States. In Rochester, New York, a local version known as “Chicken French” is a restaurant staple.
The egg coating sets into a soft, golden layer that drinks up the sauce, which is what makes this chicken francese recipe different from a crisp breaded cutlet. It looks like restaurant food but needs only one skillet and about 30 minutes.
Why this chicken francese works
Three details keep the coating tender and the sauce bright. First, cutlets pounded to ¼ inch cook through in the time it takes the egg to turn golden. Second, frying over medium rather than high heat keeps the egg from scorching. Third, the sauce is reduced before the butter goes in, so it tastes of lemon and wine rather than flour and fat.
Chicken francese vs piccata
The two are often confused because both use thin chicken and lemon. If a chicken recipe calls for capers, it is really closer to piccata.
| Chicken francese | Chicken piccata | |
|---|---|---|
| Coating | Flour, then egg | Flour only |
| Texture | Soft, golden egg crust | Thin, lightly crisp |
| Sauce | Lemon, white wine, stock, butter | Lemon, white wine, stock, butter, capers |
| Signature | Egg batter | Capers |
Ingredients for this chicken francese recipe
- Chicken cutlets: two large breasts sliced in half horizontally and pounded to ¼ inch, or store-bought thin chicken cutlets.
- Egg wash: eggs beaten with grated Parmesan and parsley; the cheese adds flavor and helps the coating brown.
- Flour: all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper.
- Wine: a dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Replace it with more stock and an extra squeeze of lemon if you prefer.
- Butter: cold butter whisked in at the end makes a glossy lemon butter sauce.
How to make this chicken francese
1. Make thin cutlets
Slice each breast horizontally into two thin pieces and pound them to an even ¼ inch between sheets of plastic wrap. If you need help with the technique, our chicken cutlet recipe shows it step by step. Pat the cutlets dry and season with salt and pepper.
2. Set up the dredging station
Put the flour in one shallow dish and whisk the eggs, Parmesan and parsley in another. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shake off the excess, then dip it in the egg and let the excess drip off. Coat just before cooking, so the coating stays light.
3. Pan-fry
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the butter foams. Fry the cutlets in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. The egg coating burns at high heat, so keep the heat at medium and add more oil between batches if the pan looks dry. Transfer to a plate.
4. Make the lemon butter sauce
Wipe out any dark bits. Add the white wine and simmer 2 minutes to reduce by half. Add the stock and lemon juice and simmer 3–4 minutes more. Lower the heat and whisk in the cold butter, a piece at a time, until glossy.
5. Finish
Return the cutlets to the pan, spoon the sauce over and simmer 1–2 minutes so they absorb some of it and reach 165°F, the safe minimum internal temperature for chicken. Garnish with lemon slices and parsley.
Tips for the best chicken francese results
- Medium heat, not high: the egg coating browns quickly and turns bitter if scorched.
- Thin and even: ¼-inch cutlets cook in minutes, before the coating gets heavy.
- Cold butter last: whisking it off the heat keeps the sauce smooth instead of greasy.
- Taste the sauce: lemons vary; add more juice or a pinch of sugar to balance.
- Serve right away: the coating softens the longer it sits in the sauce.
What to serve with chicken francese
Angel hair or linguine tossed in a little of the sauce is the classic pairing. Steamed green beans, roasted asparagus, sautéed spinach or rice also work well. Crusty bread is good for the extra sauce.
Variations
- Without wine: replace the wine with more stock and 1 extra tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Shrimp or fish francese: use the same coating and sauce with large shrimp or thin sole fillets.
- Lighter version: use egg whites only and 1 tablespoon less butter in the sauce.
- Chicken French, Rochester-style: some restaurants add sherry and a touch of sugar to the sauce.
This chicken recipe is one of our favorite skillet dinners. If you are new to searing, start with our pan seared chicken breast, then explore the rest of our skillet chicken recipes and Italian-American dishes in our global chicken recipes.
Turning this chicken recipe into a full dinner
For a complete meal for four, start a pot of water for pasta while you pound the cutlets. Cook 8 oz of angel hair while the cutlets fry, then toss it with a few spoonfuls of the lemon butter sauce. Steam green beans or roast asparagus at 425°F for 10–12 minutes in the meantime. Everything is ready at the same time, in about 35 minutes.
| Time | Task |
|---|---|
| 0–10 min | Slice and pound cutlets; set up dredging station; boil water |
| 10–20 min | Fry cutlets in batches; cook pasta; roast vegetables |
| 20–30 min | Make the sauce; toss pasta with some sauce |
| 30–35 min | Return cutlets to the sauce and serve |
Make-ahead, storage and reheating
Store leftover chicken and sauce separately if you can, in covered containers in the fridge, and eat within 3 to 4 days, as recommended by the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart. Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of stock until hot (165°F). You can pound and season the cutlets up to a day ahead; coat them just before cooking.
RecipeRey HONA
Chicken Francese
Egg-battered chicken cutlets in a bright lemon butter sauce.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
Medium · Main Course · Italian-American · Pan-frying
Done when 165°F (74°C); cutlets are cooked through in 2–3 minutes per side
Ingredients
Chicken
Lemon butter sauce
Equipment 12-inch skillet, Meat mallet, 2 shallow dishes, Whisk
Method
Cutlets. Slice and pound the chicken to ¼ inch; pat dry and season.
Dredge. Coat in flour, shake off excess, then dip in eggs whisked with Parmesan and parsley.
Fry. Fry in oil and butter over medium heat 2–3 minutes per side until golden; set aside.
Sauce. Reduce the wine by half, add stock and lemon juice and simmer 3–4 minutes; whisk in the cold butter off the heat.
Finish. Return the chicken to the sauce for 1–2 minutes until it reaches 165°F; garnish with lemon and parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is chicken francese the same as chicken french?
Yes. Chicken French is the name used in Rochester, New York, for this dish, sometimes with a sweeter sauce that includes sherry. Chicken francese and chicken francaise are other spellings.
Is this chicken francese recipe hard to make?
No. The only techniques are pounding cutlets, dredging and making a simple pan sauce. Keep the heat at medium and the dish comes together in about 30 minutes.
Can I make chicken francese without wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with the same amount of chicken stock and add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice for brightness.
Why did my egg coating fall off?
The cutlets were wet, the flour layer was too thick, or the chicken was flipped too early. Pat dry, shake off excess flour and flip only once the bottom is golden.
Can I bake chicken francese?
You can bake coated cutlets on an oiled sheet pan at 400°F for 12–15 minutes, but they brown less. Make the sauce on the stove and pour it over.
