Best Chicken Francaise Recipe

Chicken francaise arranged on an oval white platter with lemon slices, spooned with lemon butter sauce and finished with chopped parsley.

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Best Chicken Francaise Recipe

This tried and true chicken francaise recipe is an all-time family favorite that’s simple to master and always a crowd pleaser. Thin slices of chicken are coated in a delicate egg batter, then pan fried until golden and finished in a luscious lemon butter sauce for a home-cooked dinner that’s better than any restaurant. I’m spilling all of our family secrets along with my expert chef tips to teach you how to make the best chicken francaise you’ll ever have!

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: 2

Calories: 1015kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breasts boneless skinless, thinly sliced or pounded into ½-inch cutlets
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
½ cup all purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons, divided
2 large eggs 3 if the chicken pieces are very thin
2 tablespoons pecorino romano cheese grated
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons butter unsalted, divided, cold, cut into cubes *see note
1-2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 ½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup fresh lemon juice more or less to taste
2 teaspoons Italian flat leaf parsley finely minced, plus more for garnish
lemons wedges for serving, optional

Instructions

Pat the chicken cutlets dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Place ½ cup of flour in a shallow dish for dredging. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs with the pecorino Romano.
Heat the olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Dredge each chicken cutlet in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the egg mixture to coat and immediately transfer it to the pan.
Working in batches, sauté the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side depending on thickness.
Transfer the cooked cutlets to a baking sheet or casserole dish and hold in a 200°F oven while you make the sauce.
Lower the heat in the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Do not let the garlic brown.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes to make a light roux. Do not let the flour brown.
Slowly pour in the stock while whisking, then turn the heat up to medium and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Stir in the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Turn off the heat, then whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of cold butter until the sauce is glossy and emulsified. Stir in the parsley.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Pour the sauce over top, sprinkle with more fresh parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness so they cook uniformly.
Set up your dredging station right next to the stove so you can easily transfer the chicken directly from the egg wash to the pan without making a mess.
Keep the oven no higher than 200°F when holding cooked chicken, otherwise it can dry out.
When making the sauce, keep your heat on the lower end once you add the garlic and flour so it doesn’t take on any color, otherwise the sauce will turn brown rather than golden and have a slightly burnt taste. Cook just until the raw flour taste is gone, about 1-2 minutes over low heat.
It’s important to whisk in the butter off the heat so the sauce emulsifies. Using cold butter cut into cubes will also help prevent it from breaking. If the butter stops melting, turn the heat to low for just a moment to help it along.

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