This was the first recipe I made for dinner. I did get a lot of help from my best friend Chris. He has agreed to help with my journey in the beginning, but eventually I will be making dinner for the two of us completely on my own.
A couple months ago, at my best friend Marina’s baby shower I had Chicken Francese for the first time, and I discovered I really liked it. A couple weeks ago, I had it at Maggiano’s in Boston and I decided that I needed to learn how to make it. So here is my attempt, and I must say it came out pretty awesome.
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 large eggs
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1 cup chicken broth
½ lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions:
1. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board with a piece of plastic wrap on top. Using a flat meat mallet, pound the breasts until they are about ¼ inch thick.
2. Set up an assembly line with a plate of flour and a bowl with the eggs and some water, beat together to form an egg wash. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
3. Coat the chicken breast in flour, dip in the egg wash, and add to the hot oil. Cook the chicken until golden brown, flipping once. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Toss the lemon rounds into the pan and cook for several minutes until fragrant. Then add the wine, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce sauce. Roll the butter in flour and add to the pan to thicken the sauce.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan. Place the lemon rounds on top of the chicken and simmer gently for a couple minutes to heat thoroughly.
My tips:
– the lemon rounds fell apart when cooked so I would cut them a little thicker next time so they stay intact.
– I made pasta to use as a bed for the chicken, but you could also have it on the side. I used the sauce from the chicken for the pasta as well.
Other than that, it is a pretty solid recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I would definitely make this again.
My Cooking Adventures 