Marthas Chicken Paillards Recipes

MARTHA'S CHICKEN PAILLARDS

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, make a straight vertical cut down the center of the chicken breast half, but do not slice all the way through. Holding your knife at an angle, start to open up one side of the breast half so it will be able to lay flat. Gently pull the widening flap open as you cut, making short scraping cuts to free the flap of meat at the narrow end. Turn the breast half around and repeat to open up the other side. Spread both sides of the breast open and make short shallow cuts, then pound to equal thickness with the flat side of a meat mallet or small heavy pan. Repeat with other chicken breast half.
• Season chicken paillards on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add paillards and saute on one side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Flip and saute paillards until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to serving plates.

FRIED-CHICKEN PAILLARD

Steps:

• In an airtight container, combine buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place a chicken breast half between two 12-inch squares of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder or the bottom of a saucepan, pound chicken until just more than 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts; place in buttermilk marinade. Chill 20 minutes.
• Place bread, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form, about 10 seconds. Transfer mixture to a shallow bowl.
• Remove a chicken-breast half from buttermilk mixture, and shake off excess liquid. Dredge both sides of chicken in bread crumbs, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
• Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Heat shortening in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, carefully place two chicken-breast halves in pan. Fry until bottoms are golden, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken breasts over, and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining chicken. Serve.

CHICKEN PAILLARDS WITH LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Season chicken paillards on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add two paillards, and saute on one side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Flip, and saute paillards until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Raise heat to medium-high, and repeat with two remaining paillards.
• Add shallot to skillet, and cook over medium heat, adding oil or butter as needed, stirring often, until golden, about 1 minute. Raise heat to medium-high. Add lemon segments and juice, chicken stock, and any plate juices, and deglaze the pan, scraping brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sauce reduces by half, about 3 minutes. Gradually stir in remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons butter until just melted. Season to taste.

GRILLED CHICKEN PAILLARD

Steps:

• Make the marinade: In a small bowl, combine garlic, zest, juice, chili powder, and red-pepper flakes.
• Place the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag, and add the marinade. Seal the bag, and toss to coat the chicken. Transfer bag to refrigerator, and chill 10 to 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
• Heat grill; when very hot, remove chicken from bag, and carefully place on hot grill. Cook about 5 minutes; discard bag and excess marinade. Turn chicken over, and continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

HERB-MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN PAILLARDS WITH PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• One by one, place the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, or inside of a resealable plastic bag, and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin or heavy-bottomed pan until about 1/2-inch thick. In a glass baking dish, combine the zest and all but 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the shallot, garlic, and a little more than 2 tablespoons of each of the chopped fresh herbs. (Reserve the remaining chopped herbs.) Add the pounded chicken breasts to the herb mixture and turn to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator to marinate, at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Cook the breasts 2 at a time if the pan is too small. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the white wine to the pan, scraping to loosen any brown bits, and reduce until almost dry. Add the chicken broth and reduce by half, then off the heat add the reserved herbs and cold butter, swirling to melt the butter and thicken the sauce. Pour over the chicken paillards and serve immediately.

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

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.

FRIED CHICKEN PAILLARD

Steps:

• In an airtight container, combine buttermilk, 1 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t black pepper. Place a chicken breast half between 2 12 in squares of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder or the bottom of a saucepan, pound chicken until just more than 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts; place in buttermilk marinade. Chill 20 minutes.
• Place bread, remaining 1 1/2 t salt, 1 t black pepper, and cayenne pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form, about 10 seconds.
• Transfer mixture to a shallow bowl.
• Remove a chicken breast half from buttermilk mixture, and shake excess liquid.
• Dredge both sides of chicken in bread crumbs, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, carefully place 2 chicken breast halves in pan. Fry until bottoms are golden, about 2 minutes. Turn chicken breast over, and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Serve.

MOROCCAN-SPICED CHICKEN PAILLARDS

Steps:

• Cooks' note:.
• Some sliced chicken breasts may not be of an even thickness. If necessary, put each paillard between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with flat side of a meat pounder until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Special equipment:
• A well-seasoned large (2-burner) ridged grill.
• Prepare grill pan and start sauce:.
• Heat grill pan over moderate heat until hot.
• Meanwhile, simmer all sauce ingredients except butter in a 1-quart saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Set aside while cooking chicken.
• Make paillards:.
• Cook cumin, paprika, and pepper in oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, reserving skillet for sauce (do not clean).
• Brush some spiced oil on 1 side of each paillard, then sprinkle with some salt. Arrange 2 paillards on grill, oiled sides down, and brush tops with some of spiced oil, then sprinkle with some salt.
• Grill 2 minutes, then turn over and grill until just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
• Transfer to a platter and cover with foil. Grill remaining paillards in same manner, transferring to platter.
• Finish sauce:.
• Pour sauce through a medium-mesh sieve into reserved small skillet, discarding solids. Add any juices from chicken accumulated on platter to sauce and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat, then add butter and swirl skillet until butter is just incorporated. Season sauce with salt and spoon over chicken.

LEMON-THYME CHICKEN PAILLARDS

Steps:

• Lay a chicken breast on parchment paper. Starting on 1 long side, cut horizontally into breast but not completely through. Open cut breast like a book. Top with another sheet of parchment. Flatten to an even thickness, about 1/3 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts.
• Rub both sides of each breast with garlic; transfer chicken and garlic to a large resealable plastic bag. Squeeze 2 lemon halves over chicken; add rinds to bag. Thinly slice remaining lemon halves crosswise. Top each breast with a lemon slice and thyme sprig; season with pepper. Drizzle chicken with oil. Marinate in the refrigerator, flipping occasionally, at least 2 hours (up to overnight).
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to high. Discard marinade, lemon, and thyme. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill, flipping once, until cooked through, 2 minutes per side. Serve chicken warm, at room temperature, or cold. Top each breast with salad, dividing evenly, and serve with lemon wedges.