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Golden chicken, a light egg coating, and a lemon sauce that somehow manages to be both bright and indulgent at the same time. If you’ve ever asked “what is Chicken Francese”, this is the version that answers it properly. Classic at heart, upgraded where it matters, and absolutely not shy about the cream.
This Chicken Francese keeps everything people love about the traditional dish, then leans into a richer, silkier sauce that actually clings to the chicken instead of sliding off into sadness. It is fast, restaurant-worthy, and exactly the kind of dinner that makes people think you tried harder than you did.
What Makes This Chicken Francese Work
This Chicken Francese recipe works because it respects the original while quietly fixing the bits that usually fall flat.
- The egg and flour coating creates a delicate crust that stays intact even after hitting the sauce.
- Lemon juice is balanced with cream and broth so the flavour stays bright without crossing into sour territory.
- The sauce reduces properly, giving you a glossy, spoon-worthy finish instead of something thin and forgettable.
- Everything cooks in one pan, which means maximum flavour with minimal cleanup.
If you’re after Creamy Chicken Francese that feels indulgent but still fresh, this is the sweet spot.
What Goes Into This Chicken Francese
This Creamy Chicken Francese uses simple, pantry-friendly ingredients to create a rich and flavorful dish. Here are a few key components that bring it all together:
- Chicken Breasts: Sliced into thin fillets, they cook quickly and stay tender with a light dredge and pan-fry.
- Parmesan Cheese: Mixed into the egg coating, it adds a salty, savory kick and helps create that golden crust.
- Garlic: Crushed cloves simmer in the sauce, infusing it with bold, aromatic flavor.
- Half and Half (or Cream): The secret to the velvety sauce—just the right amount of richness without feeling too heavy.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
Add-Ins And Substitutions
Want to tweak things without breaking the dish? These options slide in naturally.
- Capers: Add a small handful for a briny pop that leans closer to piccata territory.
- Spinach: Wilt a few handfuls into the sauce right at the end for colour and balance.
- Shallots Instead of Garlic: Softer, slightly sweeter flavour that works beautifully with lemon and cream.
- Half Cream, Half Milk: Lightens the sauce while still keeping it creamy.
How To Make Chicken Francese
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half horizontally to create four fillets. If needed, pound them to an even 1/2-inch thickness for quicker, more even cooking.
- Make the Egg Coating: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper until well combined.
- Season the Flour: In a separate shallow bowl, add the flour and season it with salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands to combine.
- Dredge and Coat: Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge each fillet in the flour, then coat in the egg mixture, letting excess drip off.
- Pan-Fry Chicken: Fry the coated fillets in batches (two at a time if needed) for about 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Build the Sauce: In the same pan, sauté the crushed garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the wine, broth, and chopped parsley; cook on high for 5 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add the Cream: Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream, and let it simmer until the sauce thickens a bit. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish: Stir in the juice of half a lemon and return chicken to the pan for 2 minutes to warm. Serve with rice, pasta, or vegetables, and garnish with extra parsley.
Creamy Chicken Francese pairs beautifully with light, flavorful sides that soak up that rich lemon-garlic sauce. For a satisfying meal, try it with a fluffy bed of mashed potatoes or a simple pasta tossed in olive oil and herbs.
If you’re looking for something green, go for Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli & Green Beans to balance the richness. Want a cozy option? Buttery Mashed Cauliflower is a lower-carb favorite that still feels indulgent.
Pro Tips From My Kitchen
- Keep the heat moderate when frying the chicken so the egg coating doesn’t brown too fast.
- Always taste the sauce before adding the chicken back in. Lemon levels vary and balance matters here.
- Let the sauce reduce slightly before adding cream so it thickens naturally instead of relying on extra fat.
- Serve immediately. This dish shines when the sauce is fresh and silky.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well in this recipe. Just make sure to pound them to an even thickness for even cooking.
You can substitute the wine with more chicken broth or a splash of lemon juice for acidity. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). You can also slice into the thickest part to check for doneness—there should be no pink.
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Creamy Lemon Chicken Francese
An ORIGINAL Cafe Delites adaption on a traditional Chicken Francese (Francaise)!
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts large, cut in half horizontally to make 4 fillets
- 2 eggs large
- 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 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 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!
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.
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 🙂
This recipe was AWESOME! Will add it to my rotation 🙂
Absolutely an awesome dish, my customers loved it
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.
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.
Lol Gary thank you for the laugh! I hope your kitchen has recovered ? Love the addition of tomatoes btw!
I am wondering if the serving size is one or two chicken breasts? It was great thank you for sharing!
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.
So delicious! My hubby was so happy with his dinner tonight ?
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.
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.
Annie, it means to cut each breast in half length-wise….You will need a very sharp knife.
This dish looks delicious! Will make this over the weekend. What brand of wine do you recommend for this? Thank you!