Is it French or Italian? The debate should not be intense because this dish is actually American—yes, an Italo-American dish. According to food experts, Chicken Francese (Pollo alla Francese) was introduced in the New York area, specifically in Brooklyn, after World War II. The first documented mention of this dish appeared in a restaurant review published in The New York Times in the 1970s. Before this publication, the dish simply did not exist, at least on paper.
The chicken cutlets are floured, dipped in beaten eggs, and sautéed. Served here with a lemon, butter, and white wine sauce along with avocado wedges, they can also be accompanied by sautéed potatoes, green vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or even pasta or rice. Easy and delicious, it is irresistible.
DETAILS |
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Preparation time: 5 minutes |
Cooking time:10 minutes |
Servings: 2 |
Difficulty level: Easy |
INGREDIENTS |
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boneless chicken breast (300 g), cut in half lengthwise and tenderized |
2 beaten eggs |
Juice of half a fresh lemon |
1 cup of flour |
¼ cup of white wine |
2 tablespoons of olive oil |
2 tablespoons of butter, divided |
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped, divided |
1 clove of garlic, crushed |
Salt and pepper to taste |
PREPARATION STEPS
1 - If not already done, tenderize the chicken with a meat mallet.
2 - Place the eggs in a bowl and beat them with 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper to taste; place the flour in another bowl.
3 - In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat for one minute or until the butter melts.
4 - Coat the cutlets in flour, then dip them in the egg mixture.
5 - Cook the cutlets over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side.
6 - Remove the cutlets from the skillet and set them aside. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, the juice of half a lemon, the crushed garlic, and the white wine, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let reduce for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
7 - Return the cutlets to the skillet and continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
8 - Serve with avocado wedges. To add a spicy touch, serve with a whole chili pepper. This dish can be accompanied by sautéed potatoes, green vegetables, pasta, or rice.