Cooking With Kids: Chicken Francese

My kids love to cook.  Probably, because if they want to find me, I’m usually standing in front of the stove cooking, testing or occasionally, baking up some treats. 

We recently started a nice Sunday tradition.  The girls pick something they really like and I teach them how to make it.

My oldest daughter loves Chicken Francese, most likely because I try to convince her that one of my late ancestors created the dish.  She is a big fan of FoodTV and all the kids cooking competitions so she really enjoys getting in the kitchen and trying her hand at making something good to eat.

I’ve been making this recipe for years and it is always a crowd pleaser.  If you want to get fancy, you can flour the lemon slices and fry them in butter as a garnish.

Chicken Francese

Makes

Serves
Prep time:         Total time: 

1 ½ to 2 lbs of boneless, chicken breasts
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
AP flour, for dredging
4 eggs
1/8 cup water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zest removed and reserved; then juiced
½ cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
parsley, for garnish

  1. Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise and season with salt, garlic and onion powder.

  2. Place flour in a shallow bowl and eggs, beaten and mixed with water in another shallow bowl, side by side.

  3. Heat a cast iron skillet with the oil until it begins to shimmer.

  4. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour to fully coat.  Then, dip them in the egg wash, letting the excess drip back into the bowl.

  5. Place them into the hot oil and cook on medium heat until the egg begins to brown evenly, about 3 minutes per side.  Remove the chicken once cooked through and cook the rest of the cutlets. 

  6. Once all the chicken is cooked and removed from the pan, add butter and scrape up all the browned bits.  Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of the flour you have left in a bowl and whisk until light brown.

  7. Add lemon juice, wine, stock and lemon zest and simmer sauce for 10 minutes.  It should be reduced by half.   Carefully strain the sauce into a large bowl. Then, add the chicken back in the pan and pour the sauce over it all.  Simmer a few minutes to allow the chicken to soak up the sauce.

  8. Serve the chicken right in the pan and sprinkle with parsley.

Buon Appetito!

ItalyAnna Gasscooking with love, cooking with kids, chicken francese, family tradition, cooking tips, italian cooking