Monday, March 10, 2014

Light Chicken Francese


Chicken Francese is one of those dishes you always see at weddings and catered events. Unfortunately, it's sometimes hit or miss. Too much lemon, not enough lemon, I'm like goldilocks, it's not always quite right. Not to mention the butter in the sauce - so many calories!


Well, a lighter Chicken Francese isn't hard to create: substitute egg whites for whole eggs, using a little flour instead of butter to thicken the sauce, and as always, using fresh ingredients. And guess what? It tastes delicious - you can't even tell the difference. Well, that's not entirely true, you can feel the difference. Eating good makes you feel good!


And as per my truffle oil obsession that began last week, those garlic mashed potatoes you might notice in the background of these pictures is indeed drizzled with truffle oil. In case you're wondering, they were amazing (as if there was a doubt).


Light Chicken Francese

Yield: 4 servings | Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 Tbsp. flour (for dredging)
  • 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 3 Tbsp egg whites (about 3 egg whites)
  • 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 thin rounds
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced (about 3 Tbsp.)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Directions:
  1. Place chicken breasts on cutting board, cover with a piece of plastic wrap and pound breasts with a meat mallet until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Slice so you have 4 cutlets total, then set aside. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper. Place egg whites in another shallow bowl. 
  2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a small amount of olive oil (enough to coat the pan). 
  3. Dredge both sides of the cutlets in seasoned flour, then dip them in egg wash to coat completely (allow excess egg to drip off). Place cutlets in hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Once cooked, remove chicken cutlets to a plate and set aside.
  4. Add the lemon slices to the pan, cooking for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add wine, broth and lemon juice to pan, and simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce reduces slightly. Add butter and 1 Tbsp. flour, stir to incorporate flour.
  5. Reduce heat to medium-low and return chicken to the pan. Place lemon slices on top of the chicken cutlets and simmer for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.


Nutritional information per serving (1 cutlet):
Calories: 315
Total fat: 12 grams
Carbohydrates: 9 grams
Fiber: 1 gram
Protein: 36 grams
Weight Watchers points: 7


Enjoy and thanks for reading!
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