Chicken Paillard
This chicken paillard recipe is a fast, fresh way to add a little bistro-style elegance to your weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Method
2) Return pan to heat and add butter. When the butter melts, add flour to the butter and cook, stirring with whisk, a minute or 2 to make a light roux. Whisk in chicken stock. When broth thickens to just coat the back of a spoon, remove pan from heat and turn off burner.
3) Toss salad greens with lemon juice and coarse salt. Drizzle 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil around the bowl and re-toss greens.
4) To serve, cover the bottom of a dinner plate with warm sauce. Top with a small pile of salad greens and 2 chicken cutlets.
*A note for the chicken: sprinkle a little water in four medium size re-sealable food storage bags, place 1 chicken breast in each bag and seal it up pushing out excess air. Using the bottom of a heavy pot or pan, pound each breast until flat but not so much that it wants to bust out of the bag. Lay these down flat in your freezer. Next time you are having a hunger attack, remove your prepared chicken paillard from the freezer placing in a large bowl in the sink. Turn on the cold water over the bowl in a slow stream; you will be amazed how fast they will defrost. Once defrosted remove the bags from the water, pat them dry and with a knife or scissors cut open 2 connecting sides of the bag, and they are ready for you to prepare as per recipe directions.
This grilled chicken paillard is effortlessly chic.
Juicy, tender, and cooked in minutes, chicken paillard is your ticket to instant culinary sophistication. The traditional chicken paillard recipe has become a classic bistro dish. The French term paillard refers to a cutlet of meat (usually chicken, but sometimes veal or beef) that’s been pounded thin, seasoned, and seared for maximum tenderness.
Start by flattening your chicken breast ’paillard’ until they’re evenly thin, then season with salt, black pepper, and plenty of lemon zest. Heat a splash of extra virgin olive oil and butter in a pan, sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown, crisp at the edges and juicy inside.
Next, take your grilled chicken paillard to the next-level with a quick and easy lemon and thyme pan sauce. Sprinkle a little flour into the pan juices, whisk in chicken stock, a squeeze of lemon juice, chopped thyme, and parsley.
Serve your chicken paillard over a simple salad of fresh greens drizzled with olive oil and lemon, and spoon the sauce over the top. Add shaved Parmesan, roasted cherry tomatoes, or buttery potatoes gratin on the side for a touch more indulgence.
This French-inspired chicken paillard recipe is a masterclass in understated elegance, and if you’re looking for other French chicken recipes for your repertoire, how about a classic coq au vin, a traditional Provencal roasted chicken with honey and thyme, or Michelin maestro Michel Roux’s poulet au vinagre. Bon appetit!
