Date Night Lemon Chicken Francaise

This is THE dish my son asks every time he comes home from college break. “Hey Mom, can you make my fav chicken dish”….uh which one? “The one with the lemon and coconut sauce stuff'“…ya I got you little one. (Okay he’s not so little and an adult, but anytime a family or friend asks for cooking, it’s going to happen. I plan to ensure he knows how to make this for his future bride! Perhaps she’ll even be a French woman as the name implies. BTW this recipe reheats wonderfully - so at times I make a double batch via a second skillet for leftovers the next day!

Ingredients

2 Large Eggs

2 TBSP coconut cream - don’t use coconut milk, you want it luxurious!

Salt and Pepper

1 Cup Almond Flour

1 TBSP dried oregano

2 TBSP olive or avocado oil

2 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts - sliced in half for similar thickness to cook evenly. OR you can simply use 4 chicken cutlets of similar thickness. You just need 4 thin pieces of chicken.

2 TBSP butter

4 garlic cloves minced. Just eyeball it - use a small spoon

¼ cup dry white wine - if making a big batch, use more.

1.5 cups chicken stock (I used reduced sodium)

Zest of 1 fresh lemon

Juice of same fresh lemon

Fresh Thyme - this creates an amazing flavor profile. Ensure you use fresh!

Asparagus, Green Beans, Brussels - just something GREEN for the plate.

Instructions

  1. Place Jasmine or Basmati Rice in a Rice cooker and follow directions to cook. Once that’s set…

  2. In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs with coconut milk and salt and pepper to taste.

  3. On a plate, combine almond flour, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use a fork and mix the ingredients.

  4. Slice chicken in half if using a full breast. If it’s thick - pound it out! Pat chicken dry using paper towels.

  5. Heat oil in large skillet, preferably a nonstick pan over medium heat.

  6. As the pans heat, dip chicken in egg mixture, then lightly dredge them into the almond flour mixture. Ensure they are completely coated.

  7. Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides. Don’t fuss with it. Leave it and simply lift an end to check browning. It’ll cook later, so just ensure a good crust - about 2-3 minutes. Once browned remove chicken to a wire rack lined sheet pan. Don’t use a plate or layer the chicken as the heat will cause the crust to get mushy! Let it have some air.

  8. Now is the time to start cooking your green of choice, roast some asparagus in the oven or on the stove. Just make something green for a pretty plate. Use a sharp knife to pierce your asparagus or green beans to check for doneness. Wallah.

  9. Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat.

  10. Add butter, minced garlic and melt/sauté for just a few minutes.

  11. Add white wine and simmer until reduced by half - another 2 or 3 minutes tops.

  12. Add in chicken stock, fresh thyme, lemon juice and zest and simmer for a few more minutes. It’ll start smelling like heaven!

  13. Return browned chicken to the pan and settle into the sauce, add a few TBSP of coconut cream and reduce heat to low and cook until chicken reads 165 degrees (about 5 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken). Sauce will thicken at this time. I prefer my Francaise to be ‘coconut forward’ so if you prefer, you can simply leave out the added TBSP of cream.

  14. Plate chicken, jasmine or basmati rice and side of asparagus or something green. Drizzle with LOTS of yummy sauce and enjoy!