Chicken Francese gets a creamy twist with this Creamy Chicken Francese recipe!
Chicken Francese, also know as Chicken Francaise, is a popular recipe found in many restaurants in the United States. Originally developed in America by Italian immigrants, Francese is just as good as Piccata, while the flavours in a traditional Francese are absolutely incredible. Now they are EVEN BETTER by adding a kick of garlic and a splash of cream to the sauce!
As with all of my recipes, I can’t help but add my own twist to dishes. I can’t follow recipes word for word. It’s like an impulse.
Traditional Chicken Francese
Originally created for veal and much like a piccata, this recipe tastes incredible with chicken.
The difference between a Francese and a Piccata is mainly in the breading of the chicken. In a Francese, the chicken breast is first dipped in flour, then a beaten egg mixture before being cooked lightly in a tangy lemon buttery sauce.
With a Piccata, however, the batter is done in reverse: first the egg and then the flour. The other difference is a Piccata has the addition of capers and as with my own Piccata recipe here, the addition of parmesan cheese in the sauce.
However, adding my own twist to this Francese, I gave a good squeeze of lemon juice and parmesan cheese to the EGG mixture. PLUS a good amount of garlic and the addition of cream to the sauce to elevate it to a whole new level BETTER than anything you’ll find in a restaurant!
Creamy Sauce for Chicken Francese
The sauce includes a dry white wine which gives it an unbelievable flavour, BUT you don’t have to add it if you’re hesitant to try it with the wine. Simply substitute it with chicken broth. Having said that though, the wine does get cooked down so it has a mild hint of taste throughout the sauce.
WATCH US MAKE THIS Creamy Chicken Francese Recipe RIGHT HERE!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you in the comments!
Creamy Lemon Chicken Francese
An ORIGINAL Cafe Delites adaption on a traditional Chicken Francese (Francaise)!
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 4 fillets
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 6-8 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)*
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half, (or heavy cream or thickened cream)
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, (add more to suit your tastes)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/2 a lemon juiced
- 2 teaspoons parsley (extra), to garnish
Instructions
- Pound each fillet to 1/2-inch thick, if needed.
- Beat eggs, parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and some black pepper in a shallow bowl.
- To another shallow bowl, add the flour and season with salt and pepper. Mix with your hands.
- Heat the oil and butter in a skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When the oil/butter is hot enough for frying, dredge the fillets in the flour first, coating completely, then coat in the egg wash. Allow any excess egg mixture to drip off, then fry fillets in batches of two if you need to for about 4 minutes each side until nice and golden brown. Place each cooked fillet on a paper towel lined plate.
- To the same frying pan, add the crushed garlic, and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add in the white wine, chicken broth and parsley. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes on high heat to reduce down, while swirling the pan occasionally. Reduce heat and add the cream. Simmer on low until slightly thickened. Taste test and season with salt and pepper, as desired.
- Stir in the juice of half a lemon, and return the chicken to the sauce to heat through on low heat for two minutes.
- Serve the chicken and sauce together over rice or pasta and vegetables, if desired. Garnish with extra parsley.
Tim G says
Fabulous recipe. Much easier than I thought. I actually added in about 10oz of spinach right at the end to my 6 serving dinner I made. Right at the end, put on top and cover. Wilts in few mins and serve!! YUMMY 🙂
Maria Popolano says
HI , I came across your recipe so I decided to make it, it was so easy and it really came out perfect, would like to leave a photo but I don’t think it’s allowed , anyhow thanks!👍🏻
Rose Ausplund says
This is one of the best dishes I have had.I had all the right ingredients.Parsley from my garden.The sauce was amazing,Chicken so tender and juicy.
This sauce made alone,would be so good served with cooked mussels…That will be on my list to do next time…
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Genine says
Just made this for Father’s Day dinner. OMG it was absolutely delish. 10 stars from all at the dinner table. I think I added more lemon than the recipe calls for but it just added more deliciousness!
Lisa says
I made this last night for my boyfriend and teenage son and they inhaled it and couldn’t stop raving about how delicious it was! The sauce is incredible and the chicken is so succulent. I used 1/3 coconut cream/almond milk and 2/3 heavy cream which blended perfectly with the acidity of the lemon. I will definitely make this again and again!! It did take about 90 minutes but that’s mainly because, being quite new at this cooking thing, I had to check the recipe a million times.
Jan says
Delicious recipe – made it two days in a row! Thank you so much for posting such a tasty dish. I used heavy cream when I prepared it, and served it over angel hair pasta – my husband loved it!!
Jewell Giedroyce says
This recipe was absolutely delicious, even though I forgot the half and half! I used about a pound and a half of thinly cut cutlets and it saved a few minutes. I plan to make this for company I’m the near future!
Denny says
This was just excellent and better tasting than the Italian restaurant that serves this. There’s really no comparison! My husband and I lived it and were looking forward to having dinner with friends to have them taste it as well. I served it with blanched carrots and yellow rice and the plate was so colorful. I’m so glad I found this recipe. I’m now searching for something to cook tonight on this website! With food this good, why go elsewhere!!
Jamie F says
I made this tonight and both myself and my husband loved it! I didn’t have any dry white wine but had dry cooking sherry and it came out delicious! I did use the corn starch/water mixture that is recommended to thicken it up and it came out great! Loved the flavor and the chicken was so tender! Will definitely be making again!
Robin Goldin says
I would like to make it tonight but was curious…what would happen to this dish if you eliminate the half and half entirely?
Normnorm says
Prepared this last night exactly to a tee. Company and my wife raves about the meal! Will definitely make this again.
RIck McCormack says
would like to know your thoughts on adding capers
Karina says
Yes! Do it.
Lisa Miller says
Love Chicken Francaise, this was awesome! Next time need to definitely double the sauce, i used half n half because that was the only thing i didn’t have but it lightened it up a little and was so delicious! Thank you!
Mike says
Just made this tonight and it came out perfectly! Some of the best I’ve ever had! Thank you!!
Karren Freedman says
I am wondering if you could make this recipe with small boneless skinless breasts that are not cut into fillets. You could always increase the amount of sauce….
Joyce R says
Hi, Karen:
I’m not the creator of this recipe/website, but I’m sure you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts. I don’t like dark meat, and this is the only type of chicken I buy and use. I made a delicious chicken dinner similar to this one, but without a recipe, where I browned the chicken, Le took them out and cut them into pieces, then returned to the pan and sautéed a bit more, then added about a cup of water, and about a half to three fourths cup of heavy cream (horizon makes the best heavy cream!). Then I added about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, and some black pepper. I made some steamed rice, separately, and served it over steamed rice. It was heaven!
In response to the person asking if you could leave out the 1/2 and 1/2, you could, and it would prob taste ok, but to me, the answer would be ‘no’. Really the 1/2 and 1/2 or heavy cream makes this dish. Personally, I would use heavy cream, not 1.2 and 1/2, as the sauce will be very creamy, comforting, and taste amazing. Also, the more fat you have in a milk product, the less you will risk getting your milk to curdle. Heavy cream does not curdle; 1/2 and 1/2 can curdle, and that can ruin the whole dish. Also, if you have any leftovers, reheat by adding a bit of water to the leftovers container and stir to thin out the sauce (the sauce will get very thick upon refrigerating). and then either heat the leftovers in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove, stirring every minute or so until hot. It tastes just like when it was freshly made.
If you love Parmesan, you can even add a bit more when you are initially cooking the dish, and/or add more on top, as you are serving, or on each serving. It’s great!
Thanks to this website for this awesome recipe! I’m trying it tonight!
sully says
I’ve tried this twice. What am I doing wrong?? My oil/butter mixture in my pan turns brown. I can’t imagine using this base or adding garlic or wine to it. What am I doing wrong? I’ve even lowered the heat upon adding the chicken. Help!! Love this recipe and want to make it correctly!!
Joyce R says
Hi, Sully:
Oil and butter, most esp butter, will ‘burn’ or turn darker if heated in a frying pan. I personally love the look and the flavor of anything pan fried in a browned butter, but if you do not, try using clarified butter (butter that has had the whey/milk product removed). Clarified butter can be made at home by heating slowly, and then skimming off the whey product from the top, leaving behind a clear butter which can then be poured into a container, cooled and saved for later use, or if you don’t want the hassle of doing it, you can now buy clarified butter at most grocery stores. It’s also available at East Indian markets or international grocery stores as well.
Even clarified butter will brown a bit. The best way to slow the browning or prevent it is to mix the butter with oil, as this recipe states here, and/or to lower the temp slightly when heating, or add the meat to the pan as soon as the oil is hot/butter has just melted. You didn’t do anything wrong; browning is just what happens when the oil gets too hot or heats for a longer time. It won’t hurt the dish you are preparing, unless it’s black/way overheated. I think it tastes better that way, but if you don’t like the flavor of browned butter, you can either leave the butter out and increase the other oil slightly to compensate, or you can put the meat into the pan immediately upon the butter’s melting and also turn down the heat slightly.
Hope this helps!
Karren Freedman says
I had never heard of chicken Frances before. I made this last night and it was absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to make it for friends. I am going to show my 12 year old grandson how to make it as he likes to cook. For someone who cannot eat cheese, what would you recommend instead of the parmesan – herbed breadcrumbs? Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Karren
Karina says
OH! The herbed breadcrumbs sounds so good! Let me know how it tastes!
Cher says
I made this for dinner last night. I had to double the recipe thinking I may have leftovers. Absolutely not! The sauce, which everyone loved, was to die for! If they could of licked the pan, they would have. My 2 year old who usually just eats vegetables had 2 pieces of chicken. So, needless to say it was a success! This is my 2nd comment. It truly was that good! Thanks for the recipe!
Karina says
Oh wow! That is unbelievable! Thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad it is a favorite! XO
Laura says
Delicious, I added mushrooms! Would definitely recommend ?
Karina says
Great idea! Thanks so much for sharing!
Ebba says
Do you think I could double the recipe, make this ahead of time and just reheat it in the oven in a casserole dish?
sue lassman says
I made this tonight. It did take awhile for me to prepare this. I used milk instead of the cream since that is what I had handy. The sauce was too thin for me, so I took 2 T of flour and added it to the sauce. It became a bit grainy because I was simply tired. It came out very good. The taste was very good. It was a big job. I served it with Hungarian potatoes.
Mary says
This wasn’t good, it wasn’t great, it wasn’t fabulous, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY STUPENDIOUS11111. I love Chicken Francese and have bee making it the regular way for years, not any longer. This is now my go to. I didnt have parsley so substituted shredded baby spinach. Also served with rice. So good. Thanks for posting it. This is my first review!
Sergio Alonzo says
I love this and will try it tomorrow, but I have a problem finding the wine!! I tried chicken Madeira minus the wine because could not find a madeira wine, but man, I’ll love to include some alcohol in my meal!! Any suggestions.
Karina says
Hi Sergio! Any dry white wine would be good in this one to be honest. I prefer dry wines in cooking over sweet wines, like a Chardonnay or a San Blanc 🙂
Tia R. says
This recipe was AWESOME! Will add it to my rotation 🙂
Loretta Holliman says
Absolutely an awesome dish, my customers loved it
Mary M O'Brien says
Get out ingredients
Cut and pound the chicken
Grate the cheese
Squeeze the lemon
Peel and crush the Garlic
Chop the parsley
Measure all the ingredients
Beat the egg mixture
Combine the flour mixture
Dip the chicken
All that in 5 minutes??? I think it would take me at least 45 minutes but I am anxious to try it, Anyone worried about the wine for children, I believe that the alcohol boils at 160 degrees so it shouldn’t be a problem. I try to keep a bottle of dry Vermouth in the fridge for recipes.
Gary says
You are absolutely right, Mary. I think it took me at least 30 mins to do all the prep. And my kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off. ? But oohh, yummy!!
I sliced up some baby tomatoes & added just at the end. That added some bright color and a bit of acid that complemented the lemon very nicely.
Karina says
Lol Gary thank you for the laugh! I hope your kitchen has recovered ? Love the addition of tomatoes btw!
Judd says
I am wondering if the serving size is one or two chicken breasts? It was great thank you for sharing!
Libby Q. says
Made this for dinner with mashed red potatoes and garlic spinach. It was so yummy! And very pretty. My fiancé was impressed. I’m so happy to find an alternative to using breadcrumbs that is still just as delicious! Thank you for the amazing recipe.
Dianne says
So delicious! My hubby was so happy with his dinner tonight ?
Annie says
This looks great, but I’m unclear on what you meant when you said to cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally. I’m sorry, but I just can’t picture what you want me to do.
Roxanne says
Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast, with the tender removed, on a cutting board, and hold it flat with the palm of your non-knife hand. Using a sharp chef’s, boning, or fillet knife, slice the chicken breast horizontally into two even pieces. It helps if you do this close to the edge of the cutting board.
Eve says
This dish looks delicious! Will make this over the weekend. What brand of wine do you recommend for this? Thank you!
Melissa Allen says
I used tenders instead of breasts, gluten-free flour, and heavy cream. Very tasty, even spooned sauce over our creamer potatoes. Loved the parmesan in it. Thanks for the recipe.
Erica M says
This dish is absolutely delicious. It will be on regular rotation from now on. I tend to also add some parmesan to this sauce as well just for added flavor and creaminess but this dish needs no added flavor… its wonderful as is.
Barbara says
Easy to follow. I had most everything on hand. It’s a new weeknight go to. Thanks!
Christine says
I tried this tonight and it was so delicious and easy to prepare – I will be making it again soon, my husband loved it! Thanks for a great recipe idea!
Nicki says
I just made this recipe for supper and it was awesome. I sometimes find chicken breasts dry and boring but they were succulent!
Karina says
I’m so happy to hear this Nicki! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
Jackie says
I made this last night and it was delish!
Karen G. says
this was better than chicken piccata. Great fall dinner ! My family loved it. Staple dish in my house now 🙂
Karina says
Hi Karen! That’s awesome! I’m so happy you all liked it 🙂
recel says
what is the cream you used ?
Mimi says
Love this! It’s so alluring! Interesting that you put the parmesan in the dipping liquid.
Nick Romanelli says
Karina,
Excellent recipe. Enjoyed the small changes. I am an avid eater and preparer of food, being Italian and all. I also will enjoy this recipe in Sole Francese.
Thanks for the great food.