Cooking with the Bubba: #1- Chicken Francaise

Whether you prefer chicken francaise or chicken franchese, it's a classic recipe that's easier than you think.

Ingredients (for four portions): 4 boneless chicken breasts, 1 egg, 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced), 1/4 cup flour, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1 chicken bouillion cube in 3/4 cups water or 3/4 cups chicken stock, juice of 2 small lemons, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon butter (for flavor), 1 tablespoon parsley flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation: Rinse chicken, pat dry, dip breasts in beaten egg, then flour. Put aside. Cut lemons and squeeze out all juice, being careful to remove pits. Put aside. Pre heat pan and add olive oil.

Cooking: Sautee garlic slices in oil until slightly golden, add chicken breasts and brown over medium to high heat depending on your choice of frying pan (coated pans need higher heat to brown well). Remove chicken (it should NOT be totally cooked, just browned) and put aside, leaving garlic slices in pan . Now add lemon juice and wine to pan and bring to boil. Finally add the chicken broth and butter. Bring to boil again, then place chicken breasts back into pan and sautee until done ( about 5-8 minutes, they should feel springy when forked) turning them a few times. Remove chicken to serving plate, quickly simmer remaining liquid over high heat until slightly thickened (you can add a touch more flour stirred into a tiny bit of cold water if you like a thicker "gravy") and pour over chicken breasts. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley flakes.

Serve: over orzo or rissotto with your choice of vegetable (string beans or spinach sauteed in garlic and oil are my favorites). HOME