Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Chicken Francese

MMM. I just love the lemony taste of the sauce in this dish. Paired with lightly floured, pounded thin, pan sauteed chicken cutlets and sauteed mushrooms and I'm in heaven.

I got this recipe from the trusted Cooks Illustrated web site. It is one of my favorites and I can always find something with the ingredients I have on hand. I've been eyeing this recipe for a while and couldn't wait to make it tonight. I didn't change this recipe much like I do to others I have tried. I cut back about 2 tsp. of lemon juice (couldn't get any more juice out the one lemon I had) and added about a tsp. and a half to the pan of the finishing sauce. I decided to serve this over angel hair pasta because both Chad and I were in the mood for some pasta. I recommend this dish to everyone, it was just that good!

Chicken Francese

Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt and ground black pepper

Chicken:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed, breasts trimmed of excess fat, halved horizontally and pounded to even 1/4-inch thickness
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack on rimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven.

2.FOR THE SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine, lemon juice, and broth; increase heat to high and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain sauce through mesh strainer, return to saucepan, and set aside.

3. FOR THE CHICKEN: Set second wire rack on second rimmed baking sheet on counter. Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with 2 cutlets at a time, coat cutlets in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour. Transfer cutlets to egg mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Return cutlets to seasoned flour; coat evenly and shake off excess flour. Place coated cutlets on wire rack on counter.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, place 4 cutlets in skillet. Cook until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until lightly browned on second sides, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken to wire rack in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat, using remaining 1 tablespoon each butter and oil to cook remaining cutlets in now-empty skillet. After transferring chicken to oven, wipe out skillet with paper towels.

5. TO FINISH SAUCE AND SERVE: Transfer sauce to now-empty skillet and set over low heat; cook until sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove baking sheet with chicken from oven; transfer 4 cutlets to skillet, turn to coat with sauce, then transfer each serving (2 cutlets) to individual plates. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Spoon 2 tablespoons additional sauce over each serving and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce separately


17 comments:

BMK said...

Looks delicious. Can't wait to try it.

MrsSchoon said...

Mmm, I've made this before and it was great. Yours looks yummy! I need to make this again soon.

Anonymous said...

This looks delicious! Chicken and pasta is always a great combination!

Melissa said...

Looks wonderful! It's now starred on my google reader.

bakingblonde said...

It is recipes like this that make your blog one of my all time faves! This is sooo something my friends and family would eat and LOVE!!

Brittany said...

Looks great Ally! I can't wait to try it.

That Girl said...

I just love panfried chicken!

Anonymous said...

This looks so good! My family would love this. Note to self: MUST try this!

~Amber~ said...

This looks amazingly good Ally!! Thanks for sharing.

Deborah said...

This sounds so divine!!

Unknown said...

This looks wonderful. I am definitely putting on the list of dishes to try!

Carrie said...

These look good!

Jaime said...

yum! looks like a great weeknight meal :)

Erin said...

This was soooooo good, Ally! Thanks for the recipe and recommendation!

bakingblonde said...

I made this tonight for 4 friends and let me tell you this was AWESOME!!! I am talking pan licking, possible tongue burning from the still hot pan so you use your finger to get every last drop of sauce out of the pan GOOD!
I love pan sauces with Vermouth!!!! Thanks Ally!

Rachel said...

I love, love, LOVE chicken francese. I can't wait to try this recipe!!

Carrie said...

I made this tonight, thanks for shraring!