Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina is a simple dish of chicken breast, dredged in flour and pan fried in butter. The recipe originates from Florence, and whilst flouring meats and cooking in butter isnt unique, this method does reflect the approach of Tuscan peasants to make something tasty from a few simple ingredients. It’s also one of the most comforting pollo alla fiorentina recipe variations you can make at home.
I have been cooking chicken this way for 30 years, and it is by far my favourite way to cook chicken. It’s quick, it’s easy. And it tastes delicious. It never fails and everyone loves it – especially my kids. If you love an easy Italian chicken recipe, this one always hits the spot. In fact my kids don’t eat chicken nuggets, I just make them nugget sized versions of pollo alla Fiorentina.
There are 3 important steps to the success of cooking chicken breast this way:
Flatten the Chicken Breasts: chicken breasts are not an even shape or size, so it is difficult to cook them evenly. By pounding the chicken breasts with a meat tenderiser, you flatten the chicken to an even size. This then allows you to cook it evenly. This step is key in any Tuscan chicken breast recipe.
Coat the Chicken Breasts in Flour: this helps create a nice golden brown crust on the chicken, which not only looks very appetising. It also adds a subtle dimension to the flavour.
Cook in Butter: ^the butter not only gives the chicken a delicious flavour, it also helps keep the chicken moist. This is what gives this pollo alla fiorentina recipe its signature tenderness.
Pollo all Fiorentina is a fantastic secondi dish. It’s one of those easy Italian chicken recipes that works for busy weeknights too. My favourite way to serve it is with my easy sautéed broccoli and garlic or Italian Carote in Agrodolce. But you can serve it with pretty much any vegetables. Or even eat it in a bread roll with a slice of cheese as quick and easy chicken burger.
This dish shouldn’t be mixed up with Chicken Florentine, which follows a totally different style. Chicken Florentine usually comes with a creamy sauce and plenty of spinach, and it leans into a richer, heavier flavour profile. Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina stays simple and Tuscan. You flatten the chicken, flour it, and fry it in butter until it turns golden and crisp. No cream. No spinach. Just honest ingredients cooked the way Tuscan home cooks have done for generations.
If you’re exploring Tuscan flavours, this Tuscan chicken breast recipe pairs beautifully with simple sides and bright salads.
Buon appetito! 🇮🇹
More Tuscany Recipes
- Tuscan Wild Boar Ragu – wide egg pasta with slow-cooked wild boar from the Tuscan hill towns.
- Pappa al Pomodoro – ripe tomatoes and stale bread cooked together into a thick soup. A summer classic.
- Crostini Neri – the classic Tuscan chicken liver pate, served on toasted bread before every meal in Florence.
Petti di Pollo alla Fiorentina
Equipment
- Wide shallow lying pan preferably a cast iron pan
- Meat Thermometer
- Meat Tenderiser
- Spatula
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (at room temperature)
- 150 grams plain flour
- sea salt
- 80 grams butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp Parsley (finely chopped (optional))
- black pepper (freshly ground)
Instructions
- Remove the chicken fillets, which can also be cooked in the same way.
- Lay out each chicken breast on a flat surface and bash with it with a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin so that the thickest part flattens and the whole breast fillet has an even thickness.
- Season both sides of the breast with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Dredge both sides of each breast in plain flour and shake off any excess.
- Put a wide pan on a medium heat and add the butter with a drizzle of olive oil until the butter starts to foam (but do not let it burn)
- Add the chicken breasts, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes until the first side of each breast has taken on a golden brown colour and then turn onto the other side. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to check when the chicken is done. I take the chicken breasts out of the pan when they reach 72°C, and they are perfectly cooked after they have rested.
- Remove the chicken fillets from the breasts. This can also be lightly flattened and cooked in the same way, They are particular popular with the kids.
- The butter gives the chicken fantastic flavour, but don’t forget the extra virgin olive oil as this stops the butter burning.
- I prefer to salt the chicken breasts directly, as I find adding it to the flour doesnt season the chicken enough for my taste.
- You can also use deboned chicken thighs using the same method, which also taste great.
