Chicken Francese was invented in 1960s Rochester, NY by Italian immigrants who couldn't find veal—not actually from France.
Chicken Francese
Indulge in the bright, zesty flavors of Chicken Francese, where tender chicken breasts are lovingly coated in a luscious lemon-butter sauce. This delightful dish combines the tang of fresh lemon juice and the richness of butter, creating a mouthwatering glaze that elevates each bite. It's a quick and satisfying meal that will have everyone asking for seconds!
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This isn't actually Italian despite the name—Chicken Francese was invented by Italian-American immigrants in 1960s New York who couldn't afford proper veal for Veal Francaise, so they swapped in cheap chicken breasts and convinced themselves it was authentic by slapping 'Francese' on the menu, creating America's most successful culinary identity theft that even fooled the Italians back home.
Regional Twist
In Brooklyn's Bensonhurst, old-school Italian-Americans double the lemon juice and swap the parmesan in the egg wash for aged Romano, creating a sharper tang that cuts through the butter sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 g chicken breasts
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 2 units eggs
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh chives
- 1 units lemon
- 20 g parmesan cheese
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- all-purpose flour (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 180 ml chicken stock
- garlic powder (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- unsalted butter (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In two large shallow dishes, combine flour and seasonings in the first, and beat eggs with parmesan in the second. Slice chicken breasts horizontally to create four pieces and coat each in flour.
- 2
Heat olive oil and butter in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Coat chicken in egg mixture and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan.
- 3
Fry lemon slices in the same pan for about 20 seconds on each side. Remove from pan.
- 4
Deglaze the pan with white wine and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and lemon juice, bringing to a simmer.
- 5
Coat cubed cold butter in leftover flour and whisk into the sauce until it thickens. Stir in chives and season to taste.
- 6
Add chicken back to the pan with resting juices and lemon slices, baste with sauce, and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness before slicing horizontally to ensure even cooking and prevent the thicker portions from remaining undercooked while thinner edges overcook.technique1/4-inch thickness
- ✓Heat your pan to exactly 325-350°F before adding chicken (test with a drop of water that sizzles immediately) because lower temps cause soggy coating and higher temps burn the delicate egg-parmesan crust.timing325-350°F
- ✓Add parmesan to the egg wash at a 4:1 egg to cheese ratio because the proteins create a more stable emulsion that adheres better and browns more evenly than plain egg.ingredient4:1 ratio
- ✓Coat cold butter cubes in leftover flour before whisking into the sauce because the flour prevents the butter from breaking while creating a stable emulsion that thickens without curdling.technique
- ✓Deglaze with wine at exactly medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the raw alcohol (which evaporates at 173°F) while preserving the wine's acidity for proper sauce balance.timing173°F alcohol evaporation
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Chicken Francese was invented in 1960s Rochester, NY by Italian immigrants who couldn't find veal—not actually from France.
Chicken Francese
Indulge in the bright, zesty flavors of Chicken Francese, where tender chicken breasts are lovingly coated in a luscious lemon-butter sauce. This delightful dish combines the tang of fresh lemon juice and the richness of butter, creating a mouthwatering glaze that elevates each bite. It's a quick and satisfying meal that will have everyone asking for seconds!
The Story
This isn't actually Italian despite the name—Chicken Francese was invented by Italian-American immigrants in 1960s New York who couldn't afford proper veal for Veal Francaise, so they swapped in cheap chicken breasts and convinced themselves it was authentic by slapping 'Francese' on the menu, creating America's most successful culinary identity theft that even fooled the Italians back home.
Regional Twist
In Brooklyn's Bensonhurst, old-school Italian-Americans double the lemon juice and swap the parmesan in the egg wash for aged Romano, creating a sharper tang that cuts through the butter sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 g chicken breasts
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 2 units eggs
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh chives
- 1 units lemon
- 20 g parmesan cheese
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- all-purpose flour (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 180 ml chicken stock
- garlic powder (to taste)
- olive oil (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- unsalted butter (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In two large shallow dishes, combine flour and seasonings in the first, and beat eggs with parmesan in the second. Slice chicken breasts horizontally to create four pieces and coat each in flour.
- 2
Heat olive oil and butter in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Coat chicken in egg mixture and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan.
- 3
Fry lemon slices in the same pan for about 20 seconds on each side. Remove from pan.
- 4
Deglaze the pan with white wine and simmer for about 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and lemon juice, bringing to a simmer.
- 5
Coat cubed cold butter in leftover flour and whisk into the sauce until it thickens. Stir in chives and season to taste.
- 6
Add chicken back to the pan with resting juices and lemon slices, baste with sauce, and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Pound chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness before slicing horizontally to ensure even cooking and prevent the thicker portions from remaining undercooked while thinner edges overcook.technique1/4-inch thickness
- ✓Heat your pan to exactly 325-350°F before adding chicken (test with a drop of water that sizzles immediately) because lower temps cause soggy coating and higher temps burn the delicate egg-parmesan crust.timing325-350°F
- ✓Add parmesan to the egg wash at a 4:1 egg to cheese ratio because the proteins create a more stable emulsion that adheres better and browns more evenly than plain egg.ingredient4:1 ratio
- ✓Coat cold butter cubes in leftover flour before whisking into the sauce because the flour prevents the butter from breaking while creating a stable emulsion that thickens without curdling.technique
- ✓Deglaze with wine at exactly medium heat and simmer for 2 minutes to cook off the raw alcohol (which evaporates at 173°F) while preserving the wine's acidity for proper sauce balance.timing173°F alcohol evaporation