Paillard is the French word for a thin slice of meat that cooks quickly. (Sometimes, a thicker piece of meat is pounded with a mallet to make it thinner.) This recipe is an easy way to make a chicken paillard without much pounding. Essentially, you butterfly a boneless, skinless chicken breast, slicing horizontally to make a flat, heart-shaped breast, then pound it lightly. Unfortunately, a chicken breast is often dry and tasteless, but it doesn't have to be. Seasoned and cooked correctly, it should be tasty and moist. A dab of tapenade, a traditional Provençal black olive paste, makes a perfect accompaniment.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, weekday, poultry, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Make the tapenade: In the bowl of a food processor, place olives, anchovy, garlic, capers, parsley, orange zest, lemon zest, red-pepper flakes and olive oil. Pulse several times to make a rough paste, then scrape down sides of the bowl and purée for about 30 seconds more. Alternatively, use a knife to finely chop ingredients, transfer them to a bowl and stir in the olive oil. You should have about 1 cup of tapenade, more than you need for this recipe. (Refrigerate the remainder for up to 2 weeks.)
- Prepare the chicken: Working one at a time, lay chicken breast on a sturdy cutting board. With a sharp, thin-bladed knife, cut breast horizontally in half, almost, but not completely. Open the breast like a book; it will be a heart-shaped piece of meat. Lay the breast between two resealable plastic bags and lightly pound the breast to 3/8- to 1/2-inch thickness. Don't pound too hard, or the meat may tear. When all breasts are ready, transfer them to a rimmed baking sheet in one layer.
- Season each breast on both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped thyme, and rub seasoning into meat, coating evenly with oil. Scatter thyme sprigs and lemon zest strips over. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Set oven to 400 degrees. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat, and lightly coat bottom with olive oil. When oil is hot, lay two chicken breasts top-side down in skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn over and cook 1 minute more. Transfer breasts to a clean baking sheet, browned-side up. Repeat with the other breasts.
- Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove from oven, keep warm and let rest 5 minutes. Remove and discard thyme sprigs and lemon zest strips.
- Put arugula in a bowl, and dress very lightly with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place a handful of dressed greens on each of four plates. Place cooked paillards alongside. Smear 1 tablespoon tapenade across the surface of each breast. With a vegetable peeler, shave some cheese over arugula. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 635, UnsaturatedFat 32 grams, Carbohydrate 6 grams, Fat 43 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 56 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 759 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
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Mishu Akter
[email protected]This is my new favorite chicken recipe. It's so easy to make and always turns out perfectly.
Azeezat Olaiya
[email protected]I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. My friends and family love it.
Khaliah Khaliah
[email protected]This recipe is a bit time-consuming, but it's worth the effort. The chicken is so tender and juicy, and the tapenade is to die for.
Captain Ashfaq
[email protected]I'm not a big fan of olives, but I loved the tapenade in this recipe. It was so flavorful and really complemented the chicken.
Rafiq Rakiv
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a quick and easy weeknight meal. I often make it when I'm short on time.
Tabitha Wilson
[email protected]I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. I will definitely be making this again.
Amile
[email protected]The chicken was a little dry, but the tapenade was delicious.
MARY Livingstone
[email protected]This was a bit too salty for my taste, but otherwise it was a good recipe.
Turay Fullamatu
[email protected]I love this recipe! It's so easy to make and always turns out great. I usually serve it with roasted vegetables and a side salad.
peaches georgia
[email protected]This is one of the best chicken recipes I've ever tried. The tapenade is so flavorful and really elevates the dish.
Mahar Shan
[email protected]I made this for dinner last night and it was a hit! The chicken was cooked perfectly and the tapenade was delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
Raju
[email protected]This was an excellent recipe! The chicken was tender and juicy, and the black olive tapenade was the perfect complement. I will definitely be making this again.