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Chicken Parm vs Chicken Francese vs Chicken Marsala: Which Should You Order?
September 21, 2026 ◆ 2 min read ◆ Nino’s Pizzeria
Almost every Italian-American menu on Long Island carries the same three chicken dishes: parmigiana, francese and marsala. They all start with a thin chicken cutlet, and that’s about where the similarity ends. One’s breaded and baked under sauce and cheese. One’s dipped in egg and finished with lemon. One’s sauteed with wine and mushrooms. Here’s how we’d tell them apart, and which one to order.
Chicken parmigiana
A chicken cutlet is breaded and fried, then topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella and baked until the cheese melts and browns. The breading stays crisp at the edges while the centre softens under the sauce.
Tastes like: crisp, cheesy, tomato-rich comfort food.
Order it when: you’re feeding kids, a mixed crowd, or anyone who’s unsure. It’s the safest crowd-pleaser on any Italian menu.
Chicken francese
Instead of breadcrumbs, the cutlet is dredged in flour and dipped in beaten egg, then pan-fried so the egg forms a soft, golden coating. It’s finished in a sauce of butter, lemon and white wine.
Tastes like: bright, buttery and lemony, noticeably lighter than parm.
Order it when: you want something that feels less heavy, or you’re pairing it with a salad rather than pasta.
Chicken marsala
The cutlet is lightly floured and sauteed. Then it’s simmered in a sauce made with mushrooms and Marsala, a fortified wine from Sicily. The wine cooks down into a glossy, slightly sweet, savoury sauce.
Tastes like: rich, earthy and savoury, with a little sweetness from the wine.
Order it when: you like mushrooms and want the most grown-up of the three.
Side by side
| Parm | Francese | Marsala | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coating | Breadcrumbs | Flour and egg | Light flour |
| Sauce | Tomato and mozzarella | Lemon, butter, white wine | Marsala wine and mushrooms |
| Weight | Heaviest | Lightest | In between |
| Best for | Kids and crowds | A lighter dinner | Mushroom lovers |
How we serve them at Nino’s
- Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana with spaghetti: $17.95, served with salad and bread. Also as a hero ($13.95), a slice ($5.50) and a whole Chicken Parm Pizza ($29.95).
- Chicken Francese: $19.95
- Chicken Marsala: $19.95, sauteed with mushrooms in a marsala wine sauce
Prices are from our ordering menu at the time of writing. See all three on the full menu.
Which to choose for a catering order
For a group, chicken parm is the dependable choice: it holds well in a tray and nobody objects to it. A full tray is $65. If you’re ordering two entrees, pair parm with francese or marsala ($75 a tray) so there’s a lighter option on the table. Our tray headcount guide covers how many trays to get, and our Italian restaurant catering page has the full list of entree trays.
