This classic chicken paillard recipe is the perfect pick-me-up after a long day. Crispy chicken is served with a beautiful salad, making it a healthy dinner that is ridiculously easy to prepare!
Butterfly each chicken breast, then pound each to ¼-inch thickness using a meat tenderizer or heavy pan. Season them with a bit of salt and pepper and set them aside.
In a plastic Ziplock bag or large bowl, combine the wine (or broth), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon zest, shallot, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garlic. Add the chicken and massage the marinade around the meat, sealing the bag (or covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
⅓ cup dry white wine, 1 lemon, 1 shallot, 5 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Remove each piece of chicken from the marinade and add them to the hot oil in the skillet in a single layer.
Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook another 2-4 minutes on the other side until fully cooked to 165°F internally. Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and repeat with any other pieces.
While the chicken is cooking, whisk the remaining lemon juice and zest, remaining olive oil, mustard, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl until emulsified. Place the salad greens, tomatoes, and basil (if using) in a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over, tossing to combine. Serve with the cooked chicken
2 tablespoons grainy mustard, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 4 cups trimmed arugula or salad greens, 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, 1 handful basil or parsley, Lemon wedges
Notes
You can paillard virtually any meat, including pork, veal, or beef!
In place of the white wine, you can use an equal amount of chicken or vegetable broth!
In place of fresh garlic, use ½ teaspoon granulated.
You can use any mustard you like in the dressing!
You can use balsamic, white wine, or sherry vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar.
Feel free to use your favorite salad greens, and add any vegetables you love!
If your chicken breasts are exceptionally large (12 ounces or larger each), you can use 2 chicken breasts and split them in half horizontally.
I recommend placing the chicken breasts in a Ziplock bag or between two pieces of plastic wrap before pounding to minimize the mess.
Be sure the chicken breasts are all of equal thickness; this will ensure they cook evenly.
Let the pan heat up thoroughly before adding the chicken to prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan.
Wait to flip the chicken breasts until they naturally release from the pan; otherwise, they may break into pieces.
Use an instant-read meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature; once the chicken is 165°F, it is finished cooking.
Storage: Store chicken paillard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer (without the salad) for up to 3 months.