Make a classic Italian-American dish at home in about 30 minutes. Chicken Francese brings the restaurant feel to your kitchen.
Jump to RecipeDelicious meals that require only one or two pans and not much time are my favorite! Our dishwasher just went out (again) so I try to use as few dishes as possible right now. But, we still have to eat!
Over the years, I’ve learned that my family seems to enjoy meals with lemon and some wine sauce. We’ve made a few meals such as Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce, Shrimp Orzo with Lemon, and Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce.
This time, I wanted something with chicken since I know we all will eat almost any chicken meal. I had Chicken Francese at our favorite local Italian restaurant called Italiano’s. If you’re in the Houston area, you should give them a try! Big portions for a great price.
As we often do, I decided we could try to make this at home and started researching exactly what makes a meal Chicken Francese and started cooking.

Chicken Francese Step by Step
Ingredients
- 8 oz angel hair pasta
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/8 cup milk
- 2 lemons, 1 sliced, 1 juiced
- 4 tbsp butter, salted
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white cooking wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 oz spinach and arugula
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preparation
Cook the pasta as directed to al dente. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken between plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten to about 1/4″ thick.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Beat the egg with the milk in a second shallow bowl.

Dredge the chicken in the flour then egg mixture until thoroughly covered. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until done, about 6-10 minutes per side.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and cover to keep warm. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sliced lemon to the skillet. Cook for about 1 minute on each side then remove and place on top of the cooked chicken.

Add the butter to the skillet. Once it foams, add the minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute.

Add the lemon juice and white cooking wine and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Plate the chicken topped with lemon slices and spoon about 2 tbsp of sauce on top of each piece of chicken. Add the cooked pasta and the spinach and arugula to the remaining sauce and toss to coat.

Serve the pasta with the chicken and garnish with parmesan cheese.

Chicken Francese Leftovers
Store leftover Chicken Francese in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. To reheat, cook either in a skillet or microwave until warm. I suggest storing the pasta in a separate container.

Recipe
Originally Published On: March 10, 2021

Chicken Francese with Angel Hair Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz angel hair pasta
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/8 cup milk
- 2 lemons (1 sliced, 1 juiced)
- 4 tbsp butter (salted)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup white cooking wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 oz spinach and arugula
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the pasta as directed to al dente
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- Place the chicken between plastic wrap and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to flatten to about 1/4″ thick
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper
- Place the flour in a shallow bowl
- Beat the egg with the milk in a second shallow bowl
- Dredge the chicken in the flour then egg mixture until thoroughly covered
- Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until done, about 6-10 minutes per side
- Remove the chicken from the skillet and cover to keep warm
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the sliced lemon to the skillet
- Cook for about 1 minute on each side then remove and place on top of the cooked chicken
- Add the butter to the skillet
- Once it foams, add the minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute
- Add the lemon juice and white cooking wine and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes
- Increase the heat to high and pour in the chicken broth
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes
- Plate the chicken topped with lemon slices and spoon about 2 tbsp of sauce on top of each piece of chicken
- Add the cooked pasta and the spinach and arugula to the remaining sauce and toss to coat
- Serve the pasta with the chicken and garnish with parmesan cheese
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Chicken Francese FAQs
As this recipe is written, the pasta disqualifies the meal from being keto. But, if you were to forgo the pasta and serve the chicken with the sauce, it would likely still be a keto meal.
To be considered Chicken Francese, the dish must contain chicken that has been dredged in flour and eggs before being cooked. It’s then served with a sauce made of lemons and white wine.
It is believed that Italian immigrants brought the recipe over when they landed in New York. It’s a popular dish in the Rochester area.
This is right up our alley! We love pasta dishes and especially when chicken is involved.
We do, too. They are filling, and so yummy. Plus, I know my boys will eat it, which is always a bonus here!
Another wonderful dish! I have to try this week! I love pasta and chicken.
It’s so yummy, and easy to put together. I hope you enjoy it!
This looks sooooo delicious!!!! I can’t wait to make your recipe! yummmm…
My whole family loved this one, I hope you do, too 🙂
Oh wow, this certainly looks delicious. I would really enjoy a dish like this and I’m sure my husband would too.
Glad to have stumbled upon this recipe. looking for something easy yet delish for the boys. will definitely try this.
I’ve never heard of Chicken Francese tbh but OMG!!!! I can’t wait to cook it for my friends, can’t wait!!!
I think Angel Hair Pasta is the perfect accompaniment for this chicken dish. It adds just the right amount of neutrality to fabulous flavors. I’d love to make this for my family too.
Such a delicious and flavourful recipe to prepare for the whole family. I can’t wait to try your version of the Chicken Francese this weekend
I make a very similar dish and it is a firm favourite with everyone.
That looks fantastic, I love the color also. That would be a great dish for a small get-together. Thanks for sharing!
This looks so mouth watering!
This is a super yummy looking pasta dish that my entire family will love 😉 Thanks for sharing and pinning next!
the recipe looks good! Haven’t had chicken for ages, need to fix that and soon!
My kids will all types of past dishes, this is one I’m going to try soon.
Wow, it looks so yummy. will try is very soon, I never knew lemons could be fried.
If the taste is good as it looks, I’m in!!! Recipe saved!!!