Chicken paillard is a culinary technique that transforms ordinary chicken into a tender, flavorful dish. By pounding the chicken breast thin, this method enhances the flavor and ensures a quick and even cooking process, making it the perfect choice for busy weeknight dinners or serving to guests.
Understanding Chicken Paillard: A French Culinary Technique
If you’re wondering what the term **chicken paillard** (pronounced pie-yar) means, it refers to the French technique of pounding chicken breast until it’s thin. This method allows the chicken to cook quickly by grilling or sautéing, and it can also be applied to other meats, such as beef, pork, and turkey.
Why Pound the Chicken?
Pounding chicken has two key benefits: it tenderizes the meat and allows it to cook more quickly. Although the pounding step might seem labor-intensive, it’s quite straightforward. Begin by cutting the chicken into smaller pieces. Then, cover it with plastic wrap (or place it in a resealable gallon plastic bag with the air removed) to contain any mess. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet, pound the chicken until it reaches an even thickness of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. This ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and rapidly.
What to Use in Place of a Meat Mallet?
If you don’t have a meat mallet on hand, there’s no need to worry. You can substitute it with a rolling pin, an iron skillet, or even the bottom of a heavy metal or plastic cup.
Are Canned Mushrooms a Good Substitute for Fresh Mushrooms?
While fresh mushrooms are preferred for this recipe, you can use a large jar of canned sliced mushrooms if that’s all you have available. Just be sure to drain them well before adding them to the skillet.
Leeks in Chicken Paillard
If you haven’t cooked with leeks before, they resemble oversized green onions and belong to the same family as shallots, garlic, chives, scallions, and green onions. Leeks have a milder flavor than onions and are often favored in various cuisines worldwide. Not only do they offer a delicate taste, but they’re also packed with nutrients—plus, they won’t make you cry when chopped!
Preparation
To prepare a leek, trim off the tough upper dark green part. This top section can be added to soups for flavor, but remember to remove it before serving. In this recipe, we’ll be using the white and light green parts of the leek. Be sure to rinse the leek thoroughly, as dirt can hide in its layers.
Is there a Substitute for Leeks?
If leeks aren’t available, you can easily substitute scallions or onions in this recipe.
Can this Chicken Paillard be Made Gluten-Free?
Absolutely! Making this dish gluten-free is quite simple. First, ensure you have gluten-free chicken stock or make your own. Then, substitute regular flour with gluten-free flour. I recommend specific brands in the recipe notes that yield excellent results.
What to Serve with this Chicken Paillard?
This dish pairs well with rice, asparagus, or a green salad dressed with vinaigrette. It’s an easy and elegant option for serving guests.
Troubleshooting Problems with Chicken Breast
There are usually two problems that occur with chicken breast.
- There are two common issues related to chicken breast. The first is known as **woody chicken**. If you’ve ever bitten into a hard-to-chew piece of chicken, you may have encountered this problem, which stems from hardened muscle fibers in the meat. This condition is usually found in a small percentage of chickens bred for rapid growth. Fortunately, pounding the chicken can help tenderize some of these woody muscles. While biting into a woody breast can be unpleasant, it’s not harmful to consume.
- The second issue is overcooking the chicken breast, which can lead to a rubbery and dry texture. To prevent this, cook the chicken for less than five minutes on each side, as thinly pounded breasts cook very quickly. A meat thermometer is an excellent tool to ensure the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. If you do end up overcooking the chicken, a sauce can help mask the dryness.
Other Chicken Dishes You Might Enjoy
Click on each name or photo to link to the recipe.
Chicken Paillard with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 boneless & skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup flour (for a gluten-free dish, use gluten-free flour)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus extra)
- 1 tablespoon butter (plus extra)
- 6 ounces (2 1/2 cups) cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 small leek, trimmed and thinly sliced (rinse well because leeks can have hidden dirt)
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup chicken stock (low sodium)
- ¾ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Slice chicken into small cutlets. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the chicken and pound it with a meat mallet until very thin.
- Place the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Mix. Dredge the chicken through the flour mixture.
- Use medium temperature to heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet. When hot, add the chicken breasts and cook until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Do not crowd the pan. Place the cooked chicken on a platter and cover it with aluminum foil. Add the remaining chicken to the pan, adding more oil and butter as needed, until all the chicken is cooked.
- Add the leeks and mushrooms to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add extra oil if needed. Carefully stir in the wine and cover with a lid to prevent splattering.
- Mix the cornstarch and chicken stock together and pour the mixture into the pan. Stir and cook until the sauce is thickened. Then stir in the sour cream, lemon juice, and thyme. Heat until just warm and remove from the heat. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken breast cutlets on individual plates and spoon the sauce over them. This dish goes well with a salad and rice.