If you love bright, saucy chicken dinners that feel restaurant-nice but still fit a busy weeknight, this French-style lemon and white wine chicken is for you. Thinly cut chicken cooks in minutes, then gets glazed in a buttery pan sauce built with dry white wine, reduced chicken stock (or demi-glace), and a kiss of fresh oregano. Serve with a quick salad or light crudités and a spoon of lemon-Dijon aioli. It’s the kind of dish you’ll cook once and then keep in your regular rotation.

Ingredients (Serves 3–4)

Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally (4 thin cutlets total)
2–3 chicken tenders/filets (optional)
80–100 g (⅔–¾ cup) all-purpose flour (use a 1:1 GF blend if needed)
4 large eggs
1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
Neutral oil for shallow-frying (canola, grapeseed, peanut)

Lemon–White Wine Pan Sauce

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lemon, very thinly sliced, seeds removed (reserve the ends for juicing)
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
125 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
125 ml (½ cup) reduced chicken stock or demi-glace
1–2 tsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
Salt & pepper, to taste
Extra lemon juice, to finish (1–2 tsp, to taste)

Optional Lemon-Dijon Aioli (for Crudités)

1 egg yolk (room temp)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
150–200 ml (⅔–¾ cup) neutral oil (or mild olive oil)
Pinch of salt & pepper

Optional Crudités / Light Side

Small florets of purple, green, yellow cauliflower (blanched 60 seconds & shocked, optional)
Or a crisp green salad

Step-by-Step Instructions

1) Prep the Chicken

Slice each breast in half horizontally for even, quick cooking. Pat dry.
Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.

Set up two shallow dishes: one with the flour (seasoned with a pinch of salt/pepper), one with beaten eggs (plus a tiny splash of oil to help the coating brown evenly).

Coating order that sticks: Dip chicken in flour → shake off excess → egg. This gives a delicate, even golden film that won’t slide off.

2) Pan-Fry

Heat a generous ½ cm (¼ in) layer of neutral oil in a wide skillet to ~170 °C / 340 °F.

Fry chicken in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and just cooked (internal temp ~67–70 °C / 153–158 °F).

Transfer to a rack or paper towel. Keep warm.

3) Build the Sauce (No Bitterness!)

Discard most frying oil and wipe out any scorched bits, leaving a thin film.
Add butter, then the thin lemon slices and garlic. Sauté briefly (30–60 sec) just until the lemons take light color.

Remove the lemon slices to a plate (they’ll garnish later).
Deglaze with white wine; simmer on medium-high to reduce by half.
Add reduced chicken stock/demi-glace. Simmer until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
Stir in oregano, season with pepper and salt only as needed (demi-glace varies).

Finish with lemon juice (start with 1 tsp, then adjust). You want bright, balanced acidity.

4) Glaze & Serve

Return chicken to the pan, turn to coat in the glossy sauce for 30–60 sec.
Plate the chicken, spoon over extra sauce, and tuck in a few of the sautéed lemon slices for aroma and visual pop.

Optional: Lemon-Dijon Aioli (Light Mayo)

In a tall container, whisk yolk, Dijon, lemon juice, a pinch of salt.
With a hand blender running, stream in oil slowly until thick and creamy.
Adjust salt/pepper and thin with a teaspoon of water if you want a lighter dip.
Serve with blanched (or raw) cauliflower florets or a crisp salad.

A proper ratio (1 yolk : 150–200 ml oil) gives a light, stable mayo. Your original 1 yolk : ~60 ml was too thin and unstable.

Cook’s Notes & Fixes from the Transcript

Coating: Switching to flour → egg fixes slippage and ensures even browning.
Oil: Use neutral oil for clean flavor and safer smoke point; olive oil can scorch at 170 °C.
Lemon: Briefly sauté slices for aroma, remove before reduction, then finish with fresh juice—no bitterness.
Seasoning: Demi-glace is salty; taste before adding more salt.
Crudités: Lightly blanch cauliflower for 60 seconds if you want a softer bite; it pairs better with a hot sauced main.

Substitutions & Variations

Wine-Free: Replace wine with 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock + 1 tbsp lemon juice; reduce fully, then finish with a small knob of butter for gloss.
No Demi-Glace? Reduce good chicken broth by half with a small beurre manié whisked in for body. (Learn how to make it here: Beurre Manié.)
Herbs: Swap oregano for tarragon or parsley.
Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend for dredging.
Dairy-Free: Skip butter; finish with extra-virgin olive oil off the heat.
Crispier edge: Dust the dredged chicken very lightly with flour after the egg (tiny sprinkle) just before it hits the pan.

What to Serve With It

Crisp Green Salad with a bright dressing—try my Caesar Dressing Without Mayonnaise or the full Homemade Caesar Salad.
Potatoes, French-style: Parisian Potatoes for an elegant side or Authentic Belgian Fries for extra crunch.
Another lemony classic: readers who love this dish also love my Chicken Piccata (30-Minute).

Explore more 30-Minute Recipes and Chicken Main Dishes.

FAQs

Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes—use boneless, skinless thighs pounded to an even thickness. Cook ~3–4 min per side; check doneness by feel or thermometer.

Will olive oil work for frying?
You can, but a neutral oil (canola, peanut, grapeseed) is safer at 170 °C/340 °F and keeps flavors clean.

How do I avoid a sour or bitter sauce?
Don’t brown lemon slices too deeply, remove before reducing wine, and finish with fresh lemon juice to taste. If it tastes sharp, whisk in a teaspoon of cold butter off the heat.

No wine in the house—what now?
Use stock + lemon (see “Wine-Free” under Substitutions). A dash of white wine vinegar (½–1 tsp) can mimic the brightness—add at the end.

Can I bake instead of pan-fry?
Yes. Brush cutlets lightly with oil after dredging and bake at 220 °C/425 °F, 10–12 minutes (flip once). Sauce still cooks on the stove.

Storage & Reheat

Fridge: 3–4 days in an airtight container.
Reheat: Gently in a skillet with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce; avoid boiling so the chicken stays tender.
Freezer: Sauce freezes well; chicken coating softens but is still tasty. Freeze up to 2 months.

French-Style Lemon & White Wine Chicken (Weeknight-Easy, Restaurant-Nice)

If you love bright, saucy chicken dinners that feel restaurant-nice but still fit a busy weeknight, this French-style lemon and white wine chicken is for you. Thinly cut chicken cooks in minutes, then gets glazed in a buttery pan sauce built with dry white wine, reduced chicken stock (or demi-glace), and a kiss of fresh oregano. Serve with a quick salad or light crudités and a spoon of lemon-Dijon aioli. It’s the kind of dish you’ll cook once and then keep in your regular rotation.

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Prep Time 15

Cooking Time 15

Category Main Course

Cuisine French

Portions 4 Portions

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

For the Chicken

2 large chicken breasts halved horizontally (4 thin cutlets)
2 –3 chicken tenders/filets optional
80 –100 g all-purpose flour ⅔–¾ cup; use 1:1 GF blend if needed
4 large eggs beaten
1 tsp fine salt divided
½ tsp black pepper divided
Neutral oil for shallow frying canola, grapeseed, or peanut

For the Lemon–White Wine Sauce

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 lemon very thinly sliced, seeds removed (reserve ends for juicing)
1 small garlic clove finely minced
125 ml dry white wine ½ cup
125 ml reduced chicken stock or demi-glace ½ cup
1 –2 tsp fresh oregano chopped (or ½ tsp dried)
Salt & pepper to taste
Extra fresh lemon juice to finish (about 1–2 tsp)

Optional Lemon-Dijon Aioli (for Crudités)

1 egg yolk room temp
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
150 –200 ml neutral oil ⅔–¾ cup; or mild olive oil
Pinch salt & pepper
Water to thin if desired

Optional Crudités / Side

Small florets of purple green, and yellow cauliflower
blanch 60 seconds and ice-shock for a tender-crisp bite, or a simple green salad

Instructions

Prepare and Dredge the Chicken

Prep cutlets: Pat dry. Season both sides lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper (from the divided amounts).
Set up dredging: Place flour in a shallow dish and season with a small pinch of salt and pepper. In a second dish, beat the eggs until smooth.
Dredge correctly: Dip each piece in flour first (shake off excess), then into egg to coat evenly. Set on a rack or plate while the oil heats.

Pan-Fry to Golden

Heat oil: In a wide skillet, add about ½ cm (¼ in) of neutral oil and heat to ~170 °C / 340 °F (a small drop of egg should sizzle gently).
Fry in batches: Cook chicken 2–3 minutes per side until golden with light crisp edges and just cooked through (internal temp ~67–70 °C / 153–158 °F).
Drain: Transfer to a rack or paper towel to drain. Keep warm. Discard frying oil and wipe the pan (leave a thin film for flavor).

Build a Bright, Non-Bitter Sauce

Aromatics: Add butter to the wiped skillet over medium heat. When foaming, add lemon slices and garlic. Sauté 30–60 seconds just until the lemons take a hint of color and the garlic is fragrant.
Prevent bitterness: Remove the lemon slices to a small plate (they’ll garnish later).
Deglaze: Pour in the white wine. Bring to a lively simmer and reduce by half (about 2–3 minutes), scraping any tasty fond.
Body & gloss: Add reduced chicken stock or demi-glace. Simmer 1–2 minutes until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
Season & finish: Stir in oregano. Taste; add pepper and salt only if needed (demi-glace can be salty). Squeeze in 1 tsp lemon juice, taste, and add up to another teaspoon for a bright finish.

Glaze the Chicken & Serve

Coat: Return the chicken (and any resting juices) to the pan. Turn pieces for 30–60 seconds to glaze in the sauce.
Plate: Spoon extra sauce over the chicken and garnish with the reserved lemon slices.
Side: Serve with blanched cauliflower crudités and a spoon of lemon-Dijon aioli—or a crisp green salad.

Optional: Lemon-Dijon Aioli (Quick)

In a tall container, whisk yolk, Dijon, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Blend with an immersion blender while slowly streaming in oil until thick and creamy.
Adjust seasoning. Thin with 1–2 tsp water for a lighter dip if desired.

Video

Notes

Storage & Reheat

Fridge: 3–4 days in an airtight container.
Reheat: Gently in a skillet with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce; avoid boiling so the chicken stays tender.
Freezer: Sauce freezes well; chicken coating softens but is still tasty. Freeze up to 2 months.

Chef Tips for Perfect Texture & Gloss

Dry the chicken well before dredging.
Use a rack after frying to keep the coating crisp.
Reduce to nappe: the sauce should coat the back of a spoon; if it’s thin, reduce 1–2 more minutes; if too thick, whisk in a spoon of water/stock.
A last-second knob of cold butter off heat = restaurant sheen.

Keywords Chicken, Lemon

Chef Tips for Perfect Texture & Gloss

Dry the chicken well before dredging.
Use a rack after frying to keep the coating crisp.
Reduce to nappe: the sauce should coat the back of a spoon; if it’s thin, reduce 1–2 more minutes; if too thick, whisk in a spoon of water/stock.
A last-second knob of cold butter off heat = restaurant sheen.

Notes for Best Results

Order matters: Flour before egg ensures the egg adheres and browns evenly.
Heat control: Keep oil near 170 °C / 340 °F. Too cool = greasy; too hot = scorched.
No bitterness: Sauté lemon briefly and remove before reducing wine; finish with fresh lemon juice at the end.
Salt awareness: Taste before salting—demi-glace varies in salinity.

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