Chicken Francese (Italian-American)

Here's a classic Italian-American chicken dish created by Italian immigrants in America with incredible flavours. Chicken Francese, also known as Chicken French and Chicken Française, is actually quite similar to lemon chicken piccata. The difference is in the breading. With chicken piccata, the main difference is the chicken is only dipped in flour, whereas with chicken francese the chicken is dipped in flour and then in an egg mixture. Yes. The egg is on the outside. I know you may think it's weird, but it works. This dish is incredibly easy to prepare and cook. It's so delicious it will become a staple in your weeknight dinner rotation. I'm talking gourmet chicken right at home, in only one pan and 30 minutes.

Chicken:
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
3 large eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut in half lengthwise

Lemon Wine Sauce:
1 large lemon, sliced into thin rounds, seeds removed
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup white wine dry
2 small lemons, freshly squeezed
1-2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Garnish:
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Prepare the Flour and Eggs:
In a shallow plate, add the ½ cup of flour, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. of pepper. Whisk to combine. In another shallow plate or bowl whisk the eggs.

Prepare the Chicken:
Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then place each piece of chicken between 2 pieces of parchment paper and lightly lbs it with the flat side of a meat mallet until it's about ¼" in thickness. Repeat with remaining chicken. Dredge the cutlets in the flour mixture, fully coating both sides and shaking off any excess. Next, coat them in the egg mixture.

Fry the Chicken:
Heat the oil in a large 12" skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 3 or 4 pieces of chicken to the skillet (or as many as you can fit). Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Make the Sauce:
Clean the skillet of any excess oil, then add the lemon slices and cook until fragrant and slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side. Add the butter to the skillet and melt it. Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds to cook off the flour taste. Whisk in the wine, broth, lemon juice, and remaining ½ tsp. of salt and season with pepper. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.

Finish the Dish:
Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until for another 3-4 minutes. Garnish with the parsley before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Cook's Notes: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen in an air tight container for up to 3 months.

Nutritional Information:
Serving: 2 cutlets, Calories: 466kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 18g (6%) Protein: 33g (66%) Fat: 27g (42%) Saturated Fat: 17g (106%) Cholesterol: 246mg (82%) Sodium: 795mg (35%) Potassium: 613mg (18%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 601IU (12%) Vitamin C: 20mg (24%) Calcium: 42mg (4%) Iron: 2mg (11%)