Chicken Francaise

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Poultry | 4 comments

This chicken might look & sound a little intimidating but it’s not. It has a few more steps than most of my recipes but the extra effort is worth it. The key is to make sure your chicken is pounded out well, to about 1/4″ thickness. And that when cooking the chicken you use enough oil (otherwise you’ll end up with scrambled eggs & you don’t want that). Also, really shake off the excess dredgings.

I set my chicken in my toaster oven on “warm” while cooking the remaining pieces. If you don’t have a warmer, loosely cover your chicken with tinfoil. The buttery deliciousness of the lemon wine sauce is the perfect finishing touch for this chicken. Try serving this with my asparagus alla paperbag recipe! Enjoy a glass of white wine while cooking this dish. And remember, don’t cook with any wine that you wouldn’t drink yourself!

Chicken Francaise:
4 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 pounds total)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 glove fresh garlic – minced
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 whole lemon – sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley – chopped

Place chicken breasts between saran wrap & gently pound chicken with a mallet until they are about 1/4 inch thick. Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. WHILE oil is heating, stir together flour, 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper in a shallow bowl.

In another shallow bowl, lightly beat eggs. Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture. When oil is hot, dip floured chicken into beaten eggs to coat, letting excess drip off, then fry, turning over once, until golden brown & cooked through, about 4 minutes total (chicken is thin & will cook quickly).

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm. Fry remaining chicken in same manner. Pour off and discard oil, then wipe skillet clean. Heat butter over low heat until foam subsides. Add wine, chicken broth, garlic, & lemon juice and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by half. Stir in parsley and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer chicken to serving plate & spoon sauce mixture over chicken & garnish with lemon slices.
Buon Appetito!