Welcome back to the Velvet Runway and our traditional French Recipes, this time we’re sharing Escalope à la crème: The Must-Try Recipe of French Cuisine.
When people think of French cuisine, many things come to mind: boeuf bourguignon, ratatouille, croque-monsieur, French onion soup, escargots or even crème brûlée. But, if you’ve ever been to a French bistrot, in or out of France, chances are you’ve come across something called an “escalope à la crème“. It’s a traditional French dish and it embodies all that makes French cooking what it is: simplicity and the perfect balancing of flavours. Because of this, it is served in many brasseries and traditional restaurants, as well as being a staple among French families! It is one of those timeless dishes that pleases everyone, from children to adults.
Although there are many variations of the dish, the core ingredients remain the same: a tender and thin piece of meat and a smooth creamy sauce. So, without further ado, here is everything you need to know about the “escalope à la crème“, from its origin to how you can make this classic French dish yourself!
A Brief History
The “escalope à la crème” has roots in several French regions, which explains the many variations possible! So, before diving into how to make an “escalope à la crème“, let’s take a quick look at the possible variations:
Escalope normande: this version is probably the most famous one and includes apples flambéed with Calvados and mushrooms, for a taste typical of Normandy.
Escalope forestière: this version is one of the most aromatic ones and includes a pan-fried mix of mushrooms, sometimes cognac, and a bit of parsley.
Escalope à la dijonnaise: any mention of Dijon usually means mustard, and this is true also for the escalope. The mustard (preferably whole-grain) adds a touch of acidity and gentle heat that balances the richness of the cream.
Escalope à la crème de citron: this is a lighter variant where a few drops of lemon brighten the sauce and add some welcome freshness.
Fun Fact: Escalope à la crème is now a very “home-style” French dish, but its roots are quietly aristocratic. Cream-based sauces became popular in France from the 17th century onwards, when Normandy’s rich dairy products began replacing medieval spice-heavy sauces. What’s funny is that today, escalope à la crème is often seen as simple, comforting bistro food — the kind of dish French families make mid-week — even though cream sauces were once considered a luxury.
Whichever variation you choose to do, you will always need the same basic ingredients, which are a good piece of meat and some crème fraîche. Something to keep in mind is that in French cuisine, the quality of the ingredients is key in making a good dish so make sure you buy quality products to ensure you end up with a good “escalope à la crème“.
Now, I am sure you must be wondering: it is great to hear about the history, but how does one make the dish?
Traditional Escalope à la crème Recipe
Insider Tip: The secret to a really good escalope à la crème is not to rush the sauce. After cooking the escalope, remove it from the pan and let the cream reduce gently on its own for a minute or two before returning the meat. This allows the sauce to thicken naturally and take on the flavour of the pan without becoming heavy or bland. A small squeeze of lemon or a splash of white wine right at the end lifts the richness beautifully — very French, and often overlooked.
Here’s a traditional recipe for Escalope à la Crème (serves 4 people)
Ingredients
- 4 escalopes: chicken, veal, or turkey, depending on preference
- 20 cl crème fraîche. Make sure you choose full-fat cream as the sauce will then be more stable when cooked.
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- 10 cl white wine or broth.
- 1 knob of butter + a drizzle of oil
- Salt, pepper
- Optional but recommended: button mushrooms, mustard, parsley, lemon juice… Again, this depends on the variation you choose to do
How to Make Escalope à la crème (Step-by-Step Method)
Preparing and Seasoning the Escalope
The first step is to prepare the meat. This means lightly flattening the escalopes with a meat mallet to ensure that they cook quickly and evenly. Then, make sure you season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
Cooking the Escalope
Next comes the cooking. In a hot pan, melt the butter with a drizzle of oil (the oil prevents the butter from burning, so they serve different purposes!) Add the escalopes and brown them for about 3 minutes on each side. Make sure you brown the meat well. Indeed, an escalope that is too pale lacks flavour and on top of that, you won’t have any of the juices to make the sauce. So taking the time to get that good golden colour adds wonderful aroma to the entire dish.
Next, remove them from the pan and keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
Making the Creamy Sauce
In the same pan (to get all the good juices from the meat!), add the chopped shallot and let it gently sweat until translucent. You can add a bit of salt to make this process go faster. Now, if you are making an escalope forestière with mushrooms, this is the moment to add them.
When the mushrooms are cooked, remove them from the pan before deglazing. You can leave them in if you want, but I find that adding liquids to mushrooms makes them go soggy, so I prefer to add them back to the dish at the end.
To deglaze the cooking juices, pour the white wine into the pan and make sure you scrape the bottom well to collect all the flavour left by the meat (that’s all the good bits!). Let it reduce for a few minutes until only a lightly flavoured liquid remains.
Then it is time to add the crème fraîche. Before doing this, make sure you lower the heat so that the crème fraîche doesn’t boil but instead thickens gently. Never let the cream boil, as it may split and lose its smooth texture.
Finally, return the escalopes (and mushrooms if you took them out) to the pan and coat them gently with the sauce. Let simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes so they absorb the flavours well, and serve immediately with the side of your choice.
A good tip is to always taste as it cooks so that you can adjust seasoning if needed.
Serving “Escalope à la Crème” the French Way
Now that the dish is done, you still need to serve it properly, as French cuisine is also about presentation.
Now, for the side dish, there are plenty of options that pair really well with an escalope.
Fresh pasta tends to be the go-to choice as the creamy sauce clings perfectly to it. You can also opt for rice for a lighter meal or even potatoes, sautéed or mashed.
As for vegetables, green vegetables go particularly well with an escalope, such as green beans, broccoli, spinach… Again, the choice depends on the variation you go for, but most of these sides work with any.
For restaurant-style presentation: Warm your serving plates in the oven for 5 minutes before plating.
Final Thoughts on our Traditional Escalope à la crème Recipe
So there you have it, everything you need to know about the “escalope à la crème“. It is one of those timeless recipes found in every French household. It is simple, comforting, and quick to make, so whether you choose the classic version or a more creative variation, this dish never fails to impress!
And because it’s so quick to make, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or for hosting guests, as you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen and miss the entire night with your friends !
Whether it is for a special occasion, a festive gathering, or simply to treat yourself to something delicious, “Escalope à la Crème” is the perfect dish to delight French food lovers across the globe.
I hope you enjoyed this feature with our ‘Escalope à la crème Recipe ´.We will be back soon with more French Recipe inspiration and don’t forget to subscribe to make sure you never miss a post, (you can select the category or categories that you are interested in when you subscribe, so you will only hear about them).
Bon appétit!
