This chicken Francese recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners, but the gorgeous chicken breasts and exquisite lemon-butter sauce also make it special enough for company. Serve with refreshing green beans and creamy mashed potato for a well-rounded meal.
Is Chicken Francese Healthy?
Yes, our chicken Francese is a nutritious option. Here’s why:
First, it is packed with lean protein, with one serving containing a significant 37 grams, thanks to the chicken.
Moreover, this dish is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, resulting from the lemon juice in the sauce. This tangy yellow fruit also has such amazing antioxidant properties that can greatly benefit your health.
We also serve mashed potatoes and green beans alongside the chicken to give our chicken Francese a healthy boost of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients You Will Need
The simplicity of this chicken Francese is what makes it shine. With only simple everyday ingredients, you can make this homely delight with effortless prepping and cooking. Let’s take a look!
- For the Chicken
This recipe calls for skinless boneless chicken breasts for a light taste and a tender texture. There is no need to prep the chicken breasts, but if they are too thick, you can either slice them in half laterally or use a meat mallet to pound them until flat.
We also coat the chicken breasts with a layer of flour and egg to help them remain moist on the inside, produce a nice browning on the outside, and absorb the flavors more easily from the sauce.
- For the Sauce
Finally, this is where the beauty of our dish lies: the luscious lemony, buttery sauce.
Made up of only 6 ingredients—unsalted butter, flour, white wine, chicken broth, salt, and lemon juice—this sauce is simple, yet tastes superb.
It is the bright, citrusy notes of lemon combined with the astringent flavor of white wine that give our sauce an exquisite tanginess with a delicate aftertaste.
- For the Topping
A sprinkling of shredded Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley on top further elevates the flavor and gives our dish a pop of color.
- For the Sides
We serve this chicken Francese along with delicious creamy homemade mashed potatoes and fresh snappy green beans.
What to Serve With
Here are some recommended sides to serve with our chicken Francese:
Chicken's Natural Juice Is Awesome
This Mediterranean Chicken dish is made up of fresh herbs, juicy meat, and vegetables so wholesome it’ll leave you wanting more. They accurately capture the flavors and textures of Mediterranean cuisine.
Ginger is one of the most popular aromatics in Asian cuisine, and this recipe certainly highlights it. Besides ginger, this dish benefits from the combined flavor of several Asian spices such as garlic, scallions, and shallots. It’s a great rice killer.
How to Make Chicken Francese
This chicken Francese recipe is special to serve and simple to make, giving you delicious pan-fried chicken breasts cooked in a luscious lemon-butter sauce that tastes amazing.
- cook TIME 40 mins
- prep TIME 7 mins
- total TIME 47 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 479 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 18 oz skinless boneless chicken breast
- 24 oz potato (cubed)
- 8 oz green beans (trimmed)
- 0.25 oz Parmesan cheese (shredded)
- 1/2 cup canola oil (*)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 fl oz white wine
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (divided)
- 1 cup chicken broth (divided)
- 1 medium egg
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp salt (divided)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Trim the green bean: Wash them clean and cut off both ends.
Cut the potato into cubes: Peel off the skin, cut the potato into slices, cut the slices into fingers, and cut the fingers into cubes.
Finely chop the parsley.
Cook:
Microwave the potato: Microwave 24 oz potato for 12 minutes.
Microwave the green beans: Microwave 8 oz green beans in 4 minutes.
Cook the microwaved potato with chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and salt: Add the microwaved potato with 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup milk, 2 tbsp heavy cream, and 3/8 tsp salt to a skillet. Cook over low heat for 7 minutes.
Mash the cooked potato: Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Coat both sides of the chicken breasts in a layer of flour. Add 2 tbsp all-purpose flour to a bowl. (Leave out 1 tsp flour for the later step) Coat 18 oz chicken breasts in flour, then shake off the excess flour.
Dip the chicken breasts in an egg mix. Add 2 eggs to a bowl, then dip the chicken in the egg mix.
Fry the chicken breasts: In a skillet over medium heat, add 1/2 cup canola oil and chicken breasts, then fry both sides for a total of 7 minutes or until lightly browned, then remove from the heat. Discard the remaining oil.
Add the butter and the remaining flour: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp butter and the remaining 1 tsp flour. Stir well for 30 seconds.
Add the white wine: Add 2 fl oz white wine and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the chicken broth, salt, and lemon juice: Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 tbsp lemon juice, and 3/8 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken breasts: Add chicken and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
Add the cheese and pepper: Add 0.25 oz Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper on top, then remove from the heat.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped parsley, if desired. Serve with the green beans and mashed potato.
(*) Only part of the oil will end up in the final product, and we have calculated nutritional values based on that amount. The whole amount is needed for frying, but what actually ends up being consumed is only 2 tbsp of canola oil per four servings.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Natalie Butler, RD, LD
Nutrition Reviewer
- jmwolf64Classic and elegant chicken francese with a tangy lemon sauce.