Chicken Francese Without Wine Recipe
Introduction
Chicken Francese is a classic Italian-American dish known for its light, lemony sauce and tender, lightly battered chicken. This wine-free version keeps all the bright, tangy flavors while being simple and quick to prepare. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 2 extra large eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Step 1: In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and black pepper. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
- Step 2: Coat each chicken breast slice in the flour mixture, then dip into the egg mixture, ensuring they are fully coated.
- Step 3: Heat olive oil and butter together in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken slices about 2 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Step 4: Increase the heat to medium-high and add the lemon juice to the same skillet to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits.
- Step 5: Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Step 6: Turn off the heat, then gradually stir in the cold butter until melted and fully incorporated into the sauce. Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Step 7: Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 8: Spoon the sauce over the cooked chicken and serve immediately, ideally with pasta or rice.
Tips & Variations
- For extra flavor, add a bit of garlic to the olive oil when cooking the chicken.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the brightest taste, but bottled lemon juice can work in a pinch.
- Try adding capers to the sauce for a briny twist.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free flour blend.
Storage
Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat to avoid drying out the chicken, adding a splash of chicken stock if needed to loosen the sauce.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use bone-in chicken for this recipe?
It’s best to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced for even cooking and proper coating. Bone-in chicken will require longer cooking times and may not brown evenly.
What can I serve with Chicken Francese?
This dish pairs beautifully with pasta, rice, or even sautéed vegetables. A simple green salad also complements the lemony richness well.
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Chicken Francese Without Wine Recipe
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Chicken Francese without wine is a delightful Italian-American dish featuring tender, thinly sliced chicken breasts lightly coated in a seasoned flour and egg mixture, pan-fried to a golden brown, and served with a tangy lemon and chicken stock sauce enriched with butter and fresh parsley. This quick and flavorful recipe is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner and pairs wonderfully with pasta or rice.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 2 extra large eggs
- 3 Tablespoon milk
For Cooking and Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 Tablespoon cold butter
- 3 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the coatings: In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and black pepper thoroughly to create the seasoned flour mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until well blended to form the egg wash.
- Coat the chicken: Take the thinly sliced chicken breasts and first dredge them in the flour mixture, ensuring each piece is completely coated. Then dip each coated piece into the egg and milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Cook the chicken: Heat olive oil and unsalted butter together in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the coated chicken breasts and cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until the chicken is lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside, keeping warm.
- Deglaze the pan: Increase the heat to medium-high and pour the lemon juice into the skillet. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits left from cooking the chicken, effectively deglazing the pan.
- Add chicken stock: Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil, allowing it to reduce and concentrate the flavors slightly.
- Finish the sauce: Turn off the heat and add the cold butter to the sauce, stirring continuously until the butter is fully melted and the sauce becomes smooth and glossy. Stir in the freshly chopped parsley.
- Season: Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed for seasoning and balance.
- Serve: Spoon the lemon butter sauce over the cooked chicken breasts and serve immediately with your choice of pasta or rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- For an extra tender chicken, pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before slicing.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can reduce the chicken stock further before adding the cold butter.
- This recipe can easily be doubled to serve more guests.
- Use fresh lemon juice for the best bright and tangy flavor in the sauce.
- Leftover chicken francese can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Keywords: Chicken Francese, Lemon Chicken, Italian Chicken Recipe, Pan-Fried Chicken, Chicken Breast Recipe, Easy Chicken Dinner
