Chicken Paillard Recipes

CHICKEN PAILLARD

Steps:

• Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Arrange the chicken in a shallow baking dish and drizzle meat with extra-virgin olive oil to just coat the chicken, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, total. Combine chopped herbs and lemon zest and sprinkle over the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Using your hands, rub the chicken and coat evenly with the herbs and seasonings. Wash hands with hot water and soap. Using tongs, transfer chicken in a single layer to hot skillet and cook chicken cutlets 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Cover cooked chicken loosely with foil to keep warm and repeat with remaining cutlets.
• 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 broth. When broth thickens to just coat the back of a spoon, remove pan from heat and turn off burner.
• Toss salad greens with lemon juice and coarse salt. Drizzle 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil around the bowl and re-toss greens.
• To serve, cover the bottom of a dinner plate with warm sauce. Top with a small pile of salad greens and 2 chicken cutlets.
• *sprinkle a little water in four medium size resealable food storage baggies, 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 piallard from the freezer placing in a large bowl in the sink. Turn on the cold water over the bowl in a slow steam, 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.

CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH CREAMY PARMESAN SALAD

Steps:

• For the chicken:
• Begin by pounding out the chicken breast gently between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.
• Prepare a breading station with flour, whisked eggs and milk, and panko crumbs. Season all with salt and pepper. Coat the breasts in flour, egg then panko. Lay the coated breasts out on a flat tray and refrigerate to let the crust dry out (about 10 minutes) this will ensure there is less moisture and less chance your coating will break when frying.
• Shallow fry the paillard in hot oil for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on how thick the breasts are. Drain well, season with salt and set aside when done.
• For the dressing:
• Put the anchovies, egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, and water into a blender and process for 30 seconds until the mixture is smooth. With the blender running, pour the olive oil in slowly for the dressing to emulsify. Stir in the Parmesan, season with salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper; set aside. (Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away.)
• Prepare the salad by splitting the grape tomatoes in half through the middle lengthwise, mixing all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing and toss the salad well.
• To serve lay the warm, crispy chicken paillard on the base of the plate and top with the salad. Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese, a wedge of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs
• Due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

CHICKEN PAILLARD

Steps:

• Pound chicken breasts on a work surface using a meat tenderizer or heavy pan to 1/4-inch thick. Whisk wine, juice of 1 lemon, shallot, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and garlic together in a shallow bowl. Add chicken breasts; marinate for 15 minutes.
• Whisk juice of 1 lemon, vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and lemon zest together in a large bowl; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add arugula and tomatoes; toss to combine.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate, or heat a skillet over high heat.
• Remove chicken from marinade; season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Cook chicken on preheated grill until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Plate chicken with arugula salad on top.

CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH PARMESAN BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness of 1/3 inch. Spread flour in a wide shallow bowl or pie pan. Beat eggs in another wide shallow bowl. In a third such bowl or dish, combine bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano and 3 tablespoons parsley.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, then in egg, then in bread crumbs, pressing to help crumbs adhere. Place 2 large sauté pans or skillets over high heat for 2 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in each pan and swirl pans so oil spreads. Heat until shimmering, 30 to 60 seconds.
• Carefully place 3 chicken breasts in each pan. Cook 3 minutes, then add one tablespoon butter to each pan. Continue to cook until undersides are golden brown, about one more minute. Reduce heat to medium, turn chicken and cook again until golden brown and chicken is opaque in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet, cover with foil and keep warm.
• Return unwashed pans to medium heat and swirl one tablespoon olive oil into each. Divide rosemary and chili between pans and let sizzle for 30 seconds. Add half the garlic to each pan, stir a few seconds, then add escarole to each pan. Season with salt and pepper and sauté gently until greens have just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with a squeeze of lemon and transfer to a large warmed platter. Top with chicken, cover with foil and keep warm.
• Wipe out one pan and return to medium heat. Add remaining 10 tablespoons butter and cook until it is browned and has a nutty fragrance. Remove from heat, wait a few seconds and add capers, lemon zest and remaining 3 tablespoons parsley. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Spoon brown butter and capers over chicken and greens.

CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare chicken breasts: Lay the chicken between two large sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat mallet or heavy sauté pan, pound each breast to a ½-inch thickness. Salt each breast liberally, sprinkling from a height to ensure even distribution, then season with pepper. Flip each breast and season the other side. If using mustard and tarragon, spread about 2 teaspoons of mustard and 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves on one side of each breast.Spread flour onto a dinner plate. Dredge breasts by coating them completely with flour, then shake off any excess. (They should be lightly dusted.) Set aside. Repeat with remaining breasts.
• Pan-fry chicken: Place skillet over high heat. While it's heating, trim, halve, and peel the shallot. When the skillet begins to smoke, add oil. When the oil begins smoking, gently place the chicken breasts in the pan in an even layer, so that they do not overlap. (You may need to work in batches if your skillet is smaller.) Allow them to cook undisturbed until they are nicely browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Do not move the chicken around while it cooks, or the crust will stick to the pan. Meanwhile, mince the shallot.After the first side is browned, flip the breasts and finish cooking, 2-3 minutes. (Depending on the strength of your range, you may need to turn the heat down so the flour doesn't burn.) When they are just cooked through and have only a little give when pressed with a finger, 6-8 minutes total, transfer them to a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and stir with a wooden spatula. Add the lemon wheels and a pinch of salt; stir, but do not flip the lemons (they'll caramelize better if left to cook on one side). Scrape up any bits of flour and fat at the bottom of the pan. Once the shallots are caramelized and the lemons have begun to brown, about 2-3 minutes, add the wine and stir. When about half the wine has cooked off, turn the heat to high. Add the butter to the pan one tablespoon at a time, shaking and moving the pan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the sauce. Add the capers, stir, and remove pan from heat. Transfer chicken to a platter, then spoon the sauce over each breast. Arrange lemon wheels on top and serve immediately.