Easy Italian Chicken Francaise Recipe (Lemon Butter Sauce)

This tender silky Italian Chicken Francaise is made with thin chicken cutlets and fresh lemon, ready in 35 minutes. The rich white wine and butter sauce softly bubbles around the golden egg-battered chicken. I always keep these simple staple ingredients ready for busy family weeknights.

Restaurant-Quality At Home

I used to think pan-frying chicken in an egg wash would make it soggy. It actually creates a delicate crust that absorbs sauce beautifully.

Finding the right balance of lemon and white wine completely changed my pan sauce. I learned to reduce the wine first so the acidity mellows.

Italian Chicken Francaise Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

How To Make Italian Chicken Francaise

1. Prepare the chicken: Place chicken breast halves between plastic wrap and pound to an even half-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
2. Set up the dredging station: Place flour in one shallow dish. In another dish, whisk the eggs with parmesan cheese until smooth.
3. Fry the chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat chicken in flour, dip in the egg wash, and fry for 4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate.
4. Make the sauce: Pour the white wine into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Finish the dish: Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice, simmering for 3 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, return chicken to the pan, and simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Recipe Tips

• Pound the chicken evenly: Uniform thickness ensures the cutlets cook at the same rate without drying out.
• Use fresh lemon juice: Bottled juice lacks the bright, zesty notes needed to cut through the rich butter sauce.
• Reduce the wine: Letting the wine simmer before adding broth removes the harsh alcohol bite.

What To Serve With Chicken Francaise

This bright lemon chicken pairs beautifully with angel hair pasta or buttery mashed potatoes to soak up the extra sauce. Add a side of roasted asparagus or a simple arugula salad to balance the richness.

How To Store

Keep leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth if the sauce has thickened. Freezing is not recommended as the egg coating can become mushy.

FAQs

Can I make this without wine?

Yes, you can substitute the white wine with an equal amount of extra chicken broth and a splash of white wine vinegar.

Why did my egg coating fall off?

The coating usually slips if the chicken was too wet before hitting the flour, or if the pan was not hot enough. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels first.

What wine works best for this sauce?

A dry white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc is ideal because it adds acidity without any extra sweetness.

Nutrition

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Total Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Cholesterol: 215 mg
• Sodium: 480 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
• Protein: 35 g

Italian Chicken Francaise

Recipe by Paula

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Total time

35

minutes

Italian Chicken Francaise features tender egg-battered cutlets, fresh lemon, and white wine, ready in 35 minutes. You can easily make this simple but rich dinner on a busy weeknight to impress your family with a restaurant-quality meal at home.

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 large eggs

• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 large lemon, juiced

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

• Prepare the chicken: Place chicken breast halves between plastic wrap and pound to an even half-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
• Set up the dredging station: Place flour in one shallow dish. In another dish, whisk the eggs with parmesan cheese until smooth.
• Fry the chicken: Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat chicken in flour, dip in the egg wash, and fry for 4 minutes per side until golden. Remove to a plate.
• Make the sauce: Pour the white wine into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes until reduced by half.
• Finish the dish: Stir in chicken broth and lemon juice, simmering for 3 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, return chicken to the pan, and simmer for 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley.