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Chicken french

post #1 of 8
4/10/08 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
What is better when making chicken french? Sherry wine or white wine and lemon?
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post #2 of 8
4/10/08 at 8:35am
White wine and lemon are more usual, but if you like sherry and have some, go for it! (Then call it Chicken Spanish instead ;) )
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post #3 of 8
4/10/08 at 8:36am
I don't know what it is you are talking about, but white wine and lemon sounds much better than sherry.
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post #4 of 8
4/10/08 at 5:22pm
Both are traditional. Either is fine. Sherry is a rounder, smoother taste than white wine. So, for that matter is Madeira. Remember also that the dish was at its height of popularity when people still used (ugh) cooking wine.

For those who don't know, "Chicken French" is a dish that became popular in the United States around the turn of the last century. It is a pounded chicken breast, dredged in flour, coated in egg wash, which is then fried; and sauced with a lemon, wine, stock, butter liason. Some cooks saute the escalope, make the sauce, then finish the escalope in the sauce. It's kind of the avian version of meuniere. Kind of. Sort of. Anyway, my guess is that it's a meuniere derivative with a more pronounceable name.

As the twentieth Century evolved, Chicken French recipes evolved to name brand bullion cubes, margarines, cooking-wines, "French dressing" marinades, etc. As with so many dishes which dated and disappeared, victims of their own popularity, it's really quite good if prepared with good ingredients and strong technique. A sauteed chicken breast in a very delicate crust, graced with some of its best companions -- there are worse things on plates.

Hope this helps,
BDL
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post #5 of 8
4/11/08 at 8:35am
I think this is the dish I've seen on menus as "Chicken Francais" or (incorrectly) "Chicken Francaise".

(Where's that pesky cedilla when you need it?)
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post #6 of 8
4/11/08 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 
Kuan, what i am talking about is which way is the proper way of making chicken french's sauce? anyways, i got my answer from someone else.
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post #7 of 8
4/11/08 at 7:17pm
A.K.A. Chablis? :crazy:

If you ever travel to the western NY area (Rochester) this is the most overly used dish on menu's. I was in Livingston County and I could swear that 4 outa 5 had it as a regular item. (my menu was the 5th:D) Rarely is it even done very well either. Some places went as far as adding Artichokes French to the menu as well. Chrose can confirm to this.;)

Personally when I was up that way I played around with it and started to use a chard/sherry mix; about 50/50. For the batter I began using a mix of Reggiano and Romano along with the eggs, flour, s&p and a bit of heavy cream. Olive Oil blend (80/20) Canola to Extra virgin olive oil was also used. I did prefer to sauce finish the chicken (BDL mentions this) as well.

I had some success with it for banquets but the hardliners up there didn't care for it much.

So I guess that was the long way of saying try it a couple different was and see which one you prefer. There's no one way.:D
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post #8 of 8
10/16/10 at 5:02pm

im from roch smile.gif i never had chicken french untill this summer i always saw it on the menu tho, we went to the "Dakota" and they have it with artichokes ! but i was actually looking for a recipe like theres because its the only place i have had it and it was so good lol and i saw this while searching and though what a quinkie dink 

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