Chicken Paillard

Chicken Paillard for a Speedy and Satisfying lunch or dinner offer. Do not be put off by the word “fancy”—it is a breeze to prepare, and you probably have most of what it calls for in your pantry!

Prepping these on bone in the skin of breasts gives it a wonderful sear and golden brown outside while moist soft inside. A light drizzle of squeezed lemon juice and a sprinkling of fresh herbs lend amazing flavor to this versatile recipe that can be enjoyed alongside roasted veggies, in salads, or — my favorite –with crispy potatoes.

What is Paillard?

A paillard: a flat piece of meat (usually veal or chicken) that is pounded thin and cooked quickly. The word comes from the French. This method guarantees a gorgeously golden surface and a juicy interior. Pounding the flesh results in tender, luscious meat that cooks evenly, proving your culinary prowess.

Today, “escalope” is more often used than the term paillard. Hammer down the chicken to accomplish 3 goals:

• The meat takes on the flavor more fully.
• Cooking will be more uniform.
• It will also reduce the odds of the meat ending before cooking.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Paillard Recipe

• How To Get It On The Table Quick And Easy: You can have this healthy, delicious supper on the table in less than 20 minutes with minimal prep and cook time. Ideal for hectic weeknights or any time you need something fast.  This would always be a quick fix dish when I am caught up and need some tasty yet nutritious food to devour!

• Low-carb, high-protein and healthful: Chicken Paillard is the perfect dish for a balanced diet. It is also healthy and light. This is the Ultimate meal for, yet a perfect 10-scale studio image forward!

• Adaptable: Works with many other sides, such as roasted veggies, mashed potatoes or a simple salad.

• Customizable: Add your favorite herbs, spices or even an entree with sauce for an extra flavor burst. Although the taste of the flavors are changeable according to your preference. Do you adore garlic? Incorporate more. Do you feel like kicking? Add a few flakes of chili.

• Simple to prepare: The method is a breeze, but the presentation of chicken paillard on its own makes it ideal for dinner parties at special events.

Ingredients

• 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 2tbsp Butter or Olive oil
• 1 cup Broccoli Florets
• Salt
• pepper
• 1 Lemon
• 1 cup Grape Tomatoes
• ½  cup chicken broth
• 2 Shallot
• ½ oz. Grated Parmesan
• ¼ oz. Parsley
• 4 Garlic Cloves

Tools You’ll Need

• Meat Mallet (you can use a Rolling Pin too)
• Saute Pan
• Plastic Wrap
• Knife (must be sharp)
• Spatula

Recipe directions

1. After you have already “butterflied” your chicken breasts, place them into a Ziploc bag; you can use two separate pieces of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or meat mallet, lightly pound chicken until flat(¼ inch thick. This way, the meal cooks evenly and also helps tenderize the meat.

2. Start by seasoning the chicken. You need to sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken’s two sides. Next, lightly dredge in flour.

3. Preheat a large skillet and add oil or butter (or both). When the oil is hot, add coated chicken. Shake off the excess flour. I always dust it right before adding it to the pan in case of any extra. Brown the chicken on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side (don’t leave it any longer, or it will become chewy). When finished, transfer to a warm platter. Cover with aluminium foil to help keep it warm. Half-boil your choice of green veggies; for today, I have taken broccoli.

4. Reheat the pan and melt the butter. In a pan, melt the butter and throw in some cloves of garlic shallot so they can sauté. Add the flour, stir, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until it forms a pale-coloured roux while whisking continuously. Stir in the chicken broth and whisk. When the soup is thick enough to be prone (drag a finger across the back of a spoon, and if it leaves a separate path), it’s ready. As a result, the pan is taken off the burner and the stove is turned off.

5. Just mix the salad leaves with a bit of lemon juice. This cools the salad, making you feel that crispy! Then, before you can stuff your face with this new snack smash-up, sprinkle them generously with fleur de sel. You can now enjoy it!

Delicious Serving Ideas

Putting it together: place a dollop of warm, flavourful sauce on the base of your dinner plates. And a diminutive mountain of refreshing green salad over the sauce. Top the cutlets with a good handful of salad. Last but not least, sprinkle shredded parmesan on top. And Serve! View this post on Instagram: Chicken Paillard I’m serving like… 🙂 Also, you can watch our Chicken Paillard recipe videos on YouTube!

Ways to Get Creative with Toppings and Garnishes

Tomato Salsa

Give your chicken paillard a Mexican feel with fresh tomato dice combined with onion, cilantro and a few drops of lime.

Pesto

Top the chicken with store-bought or homemade pesto for added flavor. I like that tang, the way it tastes with a bit of dressing.

Balsamic Glaze

A balsamic reduction drizzle offers the dish an acidic note to complement its savory chicken and lemon zest flavors.

Caramelized Onions or Mushrooms

Sauté onions/mushrooms in a splash of butter and olive oil until soft and lightly caramelized. Just before serving, spread the mixture over the chicken.

Sides to Elevate Your Chicken Paillard

• Garlic Mashed Potatoes: For a heartier meal, serve the chicken with creamy mashed potatoes infused with roasted garlic and a touch of butter.

• Lemon Orzo: Transport your taste buds to the Mediterranean with this simple yet flavorful lemon orzo, cooked in olive oil and fresh herbs, a perfect match for your chicken paillard.

• Grilled Asparagus: Enhance the zesty chicken with the charred, smoky flavor of grilled asparagus, topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for an extra treat.

• Quinoa Salad: Top Chicken Paillard over a simple quinoa salad (add in some chopped cucumbers and cherry tomatoes), drizzle with lemon vinaigrette for an easy, healthy meal.

• A Greek Touch: The Chicken can be transformed into a Mediterranean wonder by just sprinkling some feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and olives on to the chicken.

• Extra Heat: If you like spice, mix some red pepper flakes into the lemon-garlic dressing or season your chicken with cayenne or smoked paprika before cooking.

• Making it a herb-crusted chicken: ƒCoat your pieces of chicken (still kept whole) with wet and then in the same pan fryer, because it is clean again put some mixture breadcrumbs mixed with chopped herbs encrust all around till golder brown.

• Cream Sauce: Again, a super high calorie way to serve the chicken paillard is with simple cream sauce– heavy cream mixed with white wine and Dijon mustard.

Helpful Hints and Tips to Make the Best Chicken Paillard

• A Little Extra Flavor: If you have the time, marinate chicken for a minimum of one hour or longer in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and herbs to add more flavor.

• Cast-Iron Skillet: Use your best searing tool, if you have one. It does an excellent job of dispersing heat evenly and picking up a nice golden crust on the chicken.

• Make it in Larger Batch: The one plus point about this recipe is scales really well. Just beat more chicken breasts and prepare in portions. If desired, place cooked chicken in a warm oven (200°F). Keep the first batch warm while cooking up additional batches.

• Pound even: For tender, evenly cooked chicken breasts pound them until they are an equal thickness. This is so the chicken cooks faster and does not become dry.

• Hot Pan, Fast Cooking: The chicken is quite thin here so that it will cook quickly – 3 minutes or so on each side! Get that pan hot enough to get a solid sear on it, but do not Fucking overcook the shit out of this, or you will have salmon jerky.

• Let it rest: let the cooked meat clean a few minutes before serving, so that they retain all their juices. While a minor part, it has major implications as far as taste and tenderness goes.

Prepare ahead

Put a little water in four resealable bags, about medium-sized for chicken paillard storage. Next, take a chicken breast and place it in part of each bag then seal while squeezing out as much air as possible. Using a hefty pot or pan’s bottom, pound each breast until it is 6 mm (1/4 inch), but not so thin that it’s dying to get out. Flatten chicken breasts and lay flat in freezer.

Thawing process

Take the chicken paillard from the freezer and place into a large bowl in your sink. Add cold water in a gentle stream to the bowl. It thaws really quickly and you will be surprised how fast this happens. After they have had a chance to defrost, remove the bags from water and gently pat dry them on paper towels. Next, carefully cut (with a knife or scissors) 2 sides that help form the bag together. They are ready for you to prepare them as per the recipe.

5 Reasons Not to Ignore Chicken Paillard

1. Cheap: The dish is cheaper to make than most by using chicken breasts as the protein, a cheap meat that does not lose any quality or taste in this sauce.

2. Meal Prep: Chicken Paillard is an awesome meal prep recipe. You can pound and season the chicken in advance, meaning all you need to do before cooking is grabbing from your fridge. It also heats up well for leftovers.
3. Low Carb, Keto, or Paleo Friendly: This is low in carbs too and if you want to take it to the next level — serve it with cauliflower rice (TBH, not a huge fan).

4. Offers Great Presentation: The natural elegance and quick preparation time of Chicken Paillard also make it a perfect option when entertaining. It enables you to make a restaurant-style meal in minutes, not hours.

5. Clean: This recipe is easy to prepare in just one skillet, and since it cut down on my cleanup time, I had no excuse not to try it out very soon.

Nutritional Benefits

• Protein-packed: Chicken breast is one of the cleanest sources of protein and will help you bulk up as it makes you fuller longer.

• Great for fat loss: It is free when it does not come in OIL, uses minimal oil after pounding the chicken thin, and is the perfect choice if you are on a fat-loss diet.

Packed Full of Vitamins: If served with veggies, this dish can actually be a great form of vitamins that happen to be drinking all the antioxidants from fresh herbs and the vitamin C in lemon juice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Paillard

If you want a dish dripping with simplicity yet elegance, Chicken Paillard is the best thing you can make. For Yourself, For Family, For Friends — this one recipe makes all wonderfully delicious differences in the world of taste preferences. It is ready in under 30 minutes and requires few ingredients, so it is the ideal weekday staple or special occasion star.

This Chicken Paillard recipe will be perfect for when you want something light but filling. It is also perfect to be served with your favorite side dishes plus a green salad so that this easy-to-make dish seems like you went out of your way to impress.