Easy Chicken Francaise

This classic recipe is a family favorite in our house.  It's a quick, easy weeknight meal but often on the menu for birthday dinners.  A restaurant classic, I don't think many people realize just how easy this is to make at home.  The secret here is to use nice thin pieces of chicken and finish the sauce with butter so it's rich and delicious.  You can pound your chicken to get it nice and thin, but today's chicken breasts are so large, I find that cutting them in half horizontally gives you just the result your looking for and eliminates the need to pound.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded thin

2 large eggs, slightly beaten with tablespoon milk or water

1 stick butter, divided

3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup chicken broth

 
Combine flour, salt and pepper in shallow dish. Dip chicken in eggs then flour mixture; set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken in batches; remove and set aside.

Stir lemon juice into skillet and boil for 1 minute, then stir in broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted.  Serve with cooked rice, pasta or crusty bread.

When making this for a crowd, you can double, triple  or even quadruple this recipe.  Brown the chicken as above and place chicken in a large baking pan or dish.  Proceed with the sauce, once chicken is browned.  Pour sauce over the chicken in the baking pan.  Dish can be prepared to this point and held until needed.  Bake chicken in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked.