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Chicken Francese, also known as Chicken Francaise, is a beloved Italian-American dish that’s earned its place on countless restaurant menus. If you’ve ever wondered what is Chicken Francese, it’s made with lightly dredged chicken cutlets that are pan-fried until golden, then simmered in a lemony white wine sauce. This classic chicken francese recipe is bright, comforting, and packed with bold flavor.
For a delicious twist, this version turns it into a creamy Chicken Francese by adding garlic and a splash of cream to the sauce. The result is rich, velvety, and full of citrusy depth that soaks right into the crispy chicken. It’s a cozy meal that’s easy enough for weeknights but elegant enough to serve to guests.
What Makes This Chicken Francese Work
This Chicken Francese is the kind of dish you’ll crave again and again. It starts with tender, pan-fried chicken cutlets that are lightly dredged and cooked until golden. The crisp coating holds up beautifully as it simmers in the luscious lemon-garlic sauce, soaking in flavor without turning soggy. A quick dredge and sear deliver that signature restaurant-quality finish with hardly any fuss.
The creamy Chicken Francese twist takes it to the next level. A splash of cream mellows the tangy lemon and sharp white wine, transforming the sauce into something rich, silky, and deeply satisfying. It’s comforting, familiar, and just indulgent enough to turn a weeknight dinner into something special.
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 brings 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 the 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.
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 the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge each fillet in the flour, then coat in the egg mixture, letting excess drip off.
- Pan-Fry the 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 and Serve: Stir in the juice of half a lemon and return the chicken to the pan for 2 minutes to warm through. 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 or a crisp Caprese Salad with Avocado to balance the richness. Want a cozy option? Buttery Mashed Cauliflower is a lower-carb favorite that still feels indulgent.
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.
WATCH US MAKE THIS Creamy Chicken Francese Recipe RIGHT HERE!
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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.
I want your Recipe please that look so good 👍
I made this for myself for a fancy Sunday night dinner (and to shore me up for a busy week ahead). Thank you! The sauce! I could drink it from a cup! I made it low carb by breading the chicken with pork rinds, and the chicken was delish! I served with quinoa and asparagus (and white wine on the side). So good!!
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 🙂
Love this recipe, is great with rice and even better with mashed potatoes. But the one thing about this recipe that’s wrong is it take a lot longer than 20 minutes to make it, more like an hour start to finish – its actually a pretty significant production to do it correctly. But it is worth the effort!
So good! The family loved it and I will be making this again in the near future!
Lovely dish, although I have yet to make it. Any particular reason you add the broth before the wine?
The Family loved it! I have become a rockstar of the kitchen making all of your recipes. lol
I don’t keep cream on hand, so I thickened the sauce with flour and it worked fine. It paired well with ri ce and green beans.
Thank you for sharing!
This was Delish! Much more flavorful that basic Chicken Francese. My husband loved it as well. Thanks!
Excellent. I used Vermouth which worked well. I cut the cream in half.
Made this for New Year’s Eve. It was delicious. One problem I ran into is that the sauce curdled when I added the lemon juice? I made this in a cast iron pan. Did this happen to anyone else? I’d like to avoid this if I make this recipe again.