Some American eateries serve Chicken Francese, or Chicken Francaise, made from Ina Garten’s recipe. Italian immigrants brought the concept to the United States. Adding garlic and cream to traditional Piccata makes an already delicious dish into a culinary masterpiece. I’ll do my best to address all of your questions and concerns about making this Chicken Francese recipe from start to finish.
What Is Chicken Francese By Ina Garten?
Chicken francese, as made famous by Ina Garten, is an adaptation of a classic Italian meal that was originally prepared with veal. It’s a New York City specialty that was developed by Italian-Americans. It is composed of chicken cutlets that have been breaded and then sautéed in a sauce that has butter, lemon juice, and white wine.
What Makes This Dish So Special:
- This recipe is great for busy weeknights when you don’t have time to spend preparing a lengthy meal in the crockpot.
- Extraordinary taste: the boneless, skinless chicken breasts retain their moisture thanks to the lemon butter sauce, despite being breaded and pan-fried.
- Incredible second-day eating, as the chicken can be stored in the sauce. It reheats nicely and can also be enjoyed cold, sliced and added to salads.
Chicken piccata vs. chicken Francese
The main difference between the two is that in Francese, the chicken breast is first dipped in flour, then into beaten egg, before being fried. In piccata, the chicken is first dipped in egg, then in flour, and then fried. Both are then simmered in a lemony butter sauce, but the piccata sauce includes capers.
Ingredients That You’ll Need
This Chicken Francese recipe from Ina Garten is incredibly easy to make and requires only a few common pantry staples. Below is a printable recipe card with all the necessary measurements and instructions.
Chicken:
- Flour – For dredging the chicken, we need all-purpose flour.
- Salt and pepper – To taste.
- Eggs – 3 large eggs beaten.
- Chicken – In this recipe, I used chicken breasts, which I cut in half lengthwise. You can also buy chicken cutlets if you can find them. Chicken cutlets are basically chicken breasts already cut in half and pounded to an even thickness.
- Oil – Use your favorite vegetable oil for frying the chicken.
Sauce:
- Lemon – Slice 1 whole lemon so we can cook them in a skillet until fragrant and slightly charred.
- Chicken broth – If you wish, you can make your own chicken broth or use a good organic low sodium chicken broth.
- Lemon juice – Lemon juice is also needed for lots of lemon flavor, in addition to the lemon slices.
- Flour – To thicken the sauce, some flour is needed. Cornstarch can also be used.
- Butter – To make the sauce smooth and silky, use unsalted butter.
- Parsley – A little bit is needed for garnish.
Chicken Francese variations
The original version of this Chicken Francese recipe from Ina Garten is fantastic; but, depending on what I have on hand, I may occasionally add extra ingredients:
- Herbs: Instead of parsley, try an herb with a stronger flavor, such as fresh rosemary, thyme, basil, or tarragon.
- Sauce: For a different flavor, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the sauce.
- Vegetables: This dish can be enhanced with sauteed mushrooms, asparagus, onions or zucchini.
- Cheese: Top your chicken with some shaved parmesan cheese, or add some finely grated parmesan to the seasoned flour mixture.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs in Chicken Francese?
A Chicken Francese recipe can be prepared with boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. In order to ensure that the thighs are all the same thickness, I would continue to pound them between two sheets of parchment paper. This will ensure that the food is cooked evenly, and it will cook much more quickly.
How To Serve Chicken Francese ?
This Chicken Francese meal would go wonderfully with a plate of roasted green beans or broccoli as a side dish. In addition to that, it can be served atop mashed potatoes or buttery noodles.
How To Make Ina Garten Chicken Francese?
- In a pie plate, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. The eggs can be whisked in a separate, shallow bowl or plate.
- Chicken breasts should be halved lengthwise, then the halves should be pounded to a thickness of about 1/4 inch using the flat side of a meat mallet sandwiched between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Using the same method, dredge the remaining chicken in flour, coating both sides and shaking off any excess before dipping them in the egg mixture. Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Put three or four chicken breasts in the pan (or as many as you can fit). Prepare for about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Cooked chicken should be placed on a plate lined with paper towels before proceeding with the rest of the chicken.
- Take out any excess fat before adding the lemon slices to the pan. It takes about 30 seconds per side to get them nice and charred and fragrant.
- Put in the butter and let it soften. Add the flour and cook it for 30 seconds to get rid of the flour flavor. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the broth, lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- The chicken should be cooked through after another 3–4 minutes in the skillet.
- Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley on top.
Recipe Tips
- If possible, use chicken cutlets or thinly sliced chicken breasts. You can buy chicken breasts that have been already thinly sliced, or you can make your own by cutting thicker chicken breasts in half lengthwise. You can also use chicken tenders for this dish.
- For a better taste, use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice.
- Ina Garten’s Chicken Francese is best served immediately. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge, but the coating on the chicken may soften over time.
FAQ Section
Yes! It is possible to make Chicken Francese in ahead; simply follow the directions for preparing the cutlets and the sauce, and then reheat the cutlets and the sauce in an oven set to a low temperature.
This is not recommended. The sauce will often cause the egg breading to separate from the cutlet. We recommend serving the cutlet with the sauce poured over it.
You may keep any leftover Chicken Francese in the fridge for up to 4 days if you let it cool completely, then seal it in an airtight container.
Chicken Francese can be safely frozen, but the coating will lose some of its crunch when reheated. Even though the texture suffers when frozen, you shouldn’t waste any of the leftovers by not putting them in the freezer.
To get started, preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit before turning it on. Cover with aluminum foil and heat for 10 min, or until the chicken Francese reaches the desired temperature.
Ina Garten Chicken Francese Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 263.3
- Total Fat 8.1g
- Saturated Fat 3.0g
- Cholesterol 65.9mg
- Sodium 765.0mg
- Potassium 207mg
- Total Carbohydrate 13.5g
- Dietary Fiber 0.6g
- Sugars 0.4g
- Protein 32.7g
- Vitamin A 14.2%
- Vitamin C 5.4%
- Calcium 13.8%
- Iron 11.1%
More Recipes:
Chicken Francese Ina Garten
Description
Chicken francese, as made famous by Ina Garten, is an adaptation of a classic Italian meal that was originally prepared with veal. It’s a New York City specialty that was developed by Italian-Americans. It is composed of chicken cutlets that have been breaded and then sautéed in a sauce that has butter, lemon juice, and white wine.
Ingredients
Chicken
Sauce
Instructions
- In a pie plate, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. The eggs can be whisked in a separate, shallow bowl or plate.
- Chicken breasts should be halved lengthwise, then the halves should be pounded to a thickness of about 1/4 inch using the flat side of a meat mallet sandwiched between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Using the same method, dredge the remaining chicken in flour, coating both sides and shaking off any excess before dipping them in the egg mixture. Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Put three or four chicken breasts in the pan (or as many as you can fit). Prepare for about 3 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Cooked chicken should be placed on a plate lined with paper towels before proceeding with the rest of the chicken.
- Take out any excess fat before adding the lemon slices to the pan. It takes about 30 seconds per side to get them nice and charred and fragrant.
- Put in the butter and let it soften. Add the flour and cook it for 30 seconds to get rid of the flour flavor. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the broth, lemon juice, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
- The chicken should be cooked through after another 3–4 minutes in the skillet.
Serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley on top.
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 263.3
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8.1g13%
- Saturated Fat 3.0g15%
- Cholesterol 65.9mg22%
- Sodium 765.0mg32%
- Potassium 207mg6%
- Total Carbohydrate 13.5g5%
- Dietary Fiber 0.6g3%
- Sugars 0.4g
- Protein 32.7g66%
- Vitamin A 14.2 IU
- Vitamin C 5.4 mg
- Calcium 13.8 mg
- Iron 11.1 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Roni Dell
Saturday 28th of January 2023
This recipe was delicious! I added a little more flour to thicken and a small amount of heavy cream. Served over bowties with same sauce and parm cheese. Soooo tasty!