Looking for a delicious and healthy way to enjoy a classic Italian-American dish? Â Traditional Chicken Francese recipes can be loaded with calories, fat, and carbs. However, with a few simple substitutions, you can create this Chicken Francese Recipe for Weight Watchers that is both delicious and nutritious.
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This blog post shows you how to make a healthier version of Chicken Francese that’s ideal for those on Weight Watchers or looking for a healthy twist on comfort food.
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If you’re like me and always wondered about the difference between Chicken Piccata, Chicken Francese, and Chicken Scaloppine, don’t worry. Here’s a brief breakdown.
What’s the Difference Between Chicken Piccata, Chicken Francese and Chicken Scaloppine?
These popular Italian-American chicken dishes, chicken piccata, francese, and scaloppine, differ in preparation and flavor.
- Chicken Piccata: Thinly sliced chicken breasts are dredged in flour, sautéed in butter and olive oil, then simmered in a sauce of lemon juice, capers, and white wine to make this dish. The resulting dish is tangy and flavorful, with a slightly salty kick from the capers. Here’s a recipe for my Slow Cooker Chicken Piccata with Weight Watchers Points.
- Chicken Francese: Chicken Francese (or Francaise) uses thinly sliced chicken breasts coated in flour, dipped in egg batter, then sautéed in butter. It’s served with a lemon juice and white wine sauce, slightly thicker than piccata’s. The egg batter gives the chicken a light and airy texture.
- Chicken Scaloppine: The recipe requires pounding thinly sliced chicken breasts, dredging them in flour, and sautéing them in butter and oil. Typically, the sauce for chicken scaloppine includes white wine, broth, lemon juice, and sometimes capers or mushrooms.. It has a lighter coating than the other dishes because it doesn’t use eggs.
Differences between these dishes: Preparation method and sauce ingredients. Piccata: egg, flour, butter, olive oil, and capers. Francese: egg batter, butter, lemon juice. Scaloppine:Â white wine, chicken broth, and lemon juice.
How Do I Make Chicken Francese Healthier for Weight Watchers?
- Instead of using all-purpose flour, use whole wheat flour for dredging the chicken. This will add more fiber and nutrients to the dish.
- Use thin, skinless chicken breasts to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the dish. You can also trim off any visible fat to make it even healthier.
- Instead of dipping the chicken in an egg batter, use egg whites to coat the chicken. This will cut down on calories and cholesterol.
- Instead of using butter, use light butter or a small amount of olive oil to sauté the chicken. This will reduce the amount of saturated fat in the dish.
- For the sauce, use fat free chicken broth instead of regular chicken broth. This will cut down on the amount of fat and sodium in the dish.
By following these steps, you can make a healthier version of Chicken Francese that’s perfect for those following the Weight Watchers program or anyone looking for a healthier twist on a classic comfort food.
What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Chicken Francese?
- Thin Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Eggs, Egg Substitute, or Egg Whites
- Fat Free Milk
- Fat Free Chicken Broth
- Dry White Wine or White Cooking Wine
- Salt/Pepper
- Light Whipped Butter
- Capers
- Garlic Clove
- Lemon Juice
- Parsley
Chicken Francese Recipe for Weight Watchers with a Healthy Twist
Healthy Twist on a Classic Dish: Chicken Francese Recipe for Weight Watchers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Thinly Sliced
- .5 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 2 Eggs Large
- 2 Tbl Fat Free Milk
- 1 Cup Fat Free Chicken Broth
- 1 Tsp Cornstarch
- .5 Cup White Wine Dry
- Salt/Pepper to Taste
- 6 Tbl Land O Lakes Light Whipped Butter
- 2 Tbl Capers, Rinsed
- 1 Clove Garlic, Minced
- 2 Tbl Lemon Juice
- 1 Bunch Fresh Parsley, Chopped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200 degrees and adjust your oven rack to the middle position. See a wire rack (or cooling rack for cookies) in a rimmed baking sheet.
- Put the whole wheat flour into a shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine eggs and milk and whisk to combine. Whisk the broth, wine, salt/pepper to taste and cornstarch together in another bowl.
- Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge in flour and shake off excess. Now, dip into egg mixture letting the excess drip off, then place on a plate in a single layer.
- In a 12" nonstick skillet, add in 2 tablespoons of light butter over medium high heat. Put the 4 cutlets into the skillet and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Then transfer to prepared rack in the oven to keep warm.
- Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and remaining cutlets.
- When skillet is empty add capers and garlic and cook until fragrant - about 30 seconds. Now add the reserved broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until it's reduced by 1/2. This takes about 5 minutes. Then take it off the heat and add in the lemon juice and remaining butter.
- Transfer chicken to a platter. Pour sauce over the chicken and garnish with parsley and lemon slices, if desired.
- This makes 4 servings and is 6 WW Points per serving including the sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
So that’s a wrap and now you have a healthier take on the classic comfort food, Chicken Francese, that’s perfect for anyone following the Weight Watchers program.
This recipe is low in Points and calories, but still packs a flavorful punch thanks to the tangy lemon caper sauce. It’s an easy and quick recipe, perfect for a delicious weeknight dinner that won’t derail your healthy eating goals.
Trust me, once you try this Weight Watchers-friendly version of Chicken Francese, it’ll quickly become a new favorite in your recipe rotation. So why wait? Give it a try tonight and enjoy a guilt-free indulgence that’s both delicious and healthy!
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