Chicken Paillard

 

Any French Chef will tell you that simple meals can't be exciting? This Chicken Paillard recipe elevates chicken breasts with just a few key ingredients and steps. Tenderized and cooked to perfection, it’s healthy, easy, and bursting with flavor—your new favorite dinner awaits!  Pound the meat thin for a perfect sear and coat it in flour for a crispy finish. Bon appétit!

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

3 tbsp olive oil divided

1 tsp lemon zest

salt & pepper to taste

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

½ small shallot diced

¾ cup chicken stock

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp thyme fresh or dried

juice from ½ lemon

4 cups arugula

1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

Instructions

Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise and place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the chicken pieces.

Pound the chicken with a mallet or rolling pin to flatten it to about ¼” thickness.

Remove plastic wrap and rub in a drizzle of olive oil on both sides of the filet and season both sides with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.

Add flour into a shallow dish and dredge each filet on both sides, shaking off any excess flour. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place filets in pan and cook on both sides until golden brown and fully cooked (approx. 3 minutes on each side). Set aside.

In the same skillet, add in shallots and sauté for about 30 seconds then add in stock to deglaze. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Next, turn off the heat and add the butter, thyme, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste, stirring.

Serve the paillard over top of a bed of arugula and cherry tomato with sauce poured on top.

 

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week. 

French Fare, Potpourri of Frugality. Kilbride