Chicken Francese
from https://www.foodandwine.com/

Crispy chicken, creamy sauce, and sweet-tart lemon — there's a reason this Italian American classic is such a favorite.

It might be unabashedly old-school, but chicken Francese (pronounced frahn-CHAY'-zeh) is hard to beat. Thinly pounded chicken breasts are dredged in flour, eggs, and Parmesan cheese, then pan-fried until crispy and simmered in a creamy wine sauce. The dish is finished with a sprinkling of parsley and slices of caramelized Meyer lemon.

While Francese is an Italian adjective meaning "French," chicken Francese isn't French. It isn't really Italian, either. Instead, this classic dish is pure Italian American and a red sauce restaurant standby. Its origins are debated, but chicken Francese (sometimes called chicken Française) likely began with the first generation of Italian immigrants on the East Coast — though some hold that it was created much later, in Rochester, New York, where it's better known as chicken French. In this version of the story, restaurateurs modified another Italian American dish, veal Francese, to suit changing tastes.

Chicken piccata and chicken Francese are quite similar, with pan-fried chicken simmered in a buttery white wine sauce accented by lemon. But piccata sauce includes capers, while Francese does not. The chicken for piccata is typically dredged only in flour, while Francese uses both flour and egg for a puffy golden crust. This chicken Francese deviates from the standard by using heavy cream in the sauce for extra richness and including the lemon in the form of a caramelized garnish.

This recipe calls for a Meyer lemon, a sweeter, more fragrant citrus that won't add as much acidity to the final dish. Feel free to substitute a regular lemon — it will still be delicious.

Most reviewers really liked this. Some especially liked the fried lemons ("The lemons are to die for."). One person suggested frying the lemons and starting the sauce first, so that the sauce and chicken are done at the same time. This way the chicken breading doesn't get all soggy. Several noted that a sqeeze of lemon is needed in the sauce.

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup (about 4 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups (1 quart) lower-sodium chicken broth
1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
1 Meyer lemon or regular lemon, cut into 8 thin rounds, seeds removed
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

Working with one chicken breast at a time, place in a large plastic freezer bag and gently pound to 1/2-inch thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy pan. Season flattened chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper and set aside.

Whisk together eggs and grated cheese in a shallow bowl. Place flour in another shallow bowl.

Pour oil to a depth of 1/8-inch in a deep large skillet and heat over medium; set up a large plate lined with paper towels. Working with two chicken pieces at a time, lightly dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Place in hot oil and fry until golden brown and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined plate and repeat with remaining two chicken pieces.

Carefully discard hot oil and wipe skillet clean. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in skillet over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and bring to a simmer over high. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and return to a vigorous simmer over high. Simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and bring to boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.

While cream sauce simmers, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer on bottom of skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until slices are caramelized around edges, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Stir parsley into cream sauce and reduce heat to medium-low. Add chicken and gently simmer until chicken pieces are heated through, about 2 minutes. Divide chicken among four plates; spoon cream sauce evenly over chicken. Top with caramelized lemon slices and sprinkle with parsley.

Servings: 4