Yield: Serves 4 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 12–14 minutes
I have a cousin who’s a really picky eater. When we’re at a restaurant, she’ll always search for the spaghetti and meatballs or the chicken tenders, just to play it safe. Whenever she comes over to visit, I try to expand her taste buds a bit with something more sophisticated, like this Chicken Francese. It has just enough flavor to satisfy everyone else, but it’s not so adventurous as to scare her away.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
½ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon paprika
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
⅔ cup chicken broth, low-sodium preferred
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon wheels and fresh parsley, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. In another shallow dish or pie plate, beat the eggs and 1 tablespoon of water. In a third shallow dish or pie plate, combine the panko, parsley, and paprika.
2. Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them to a ⅓-inch thickness. Dip each piece into the flour mixture to cover completely, then into the egg mixture to coat, and finally into the crumb mixture to coat completely. Set aside until the skillet is hot or chill for 30 minutes before proceeding. Reserve the flour mixture.
3. In a wide, shallow skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat and brown the coated chicken pieces for about 4 minutes per side, until golden brown and nearly cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and swirl until the butter just begins to turn golden brown. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved dredging flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute. Add the broth and lemon juice and stir constantly until reduced to a medium-thick sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked.
5. Serve with the sauce poured over the chicken and garnished with lemon wheels and parsley.