Chicken Paillards
Everyone loves a good paillard, which is a French
term for a piece of meat (chicken or veal) that
has been sliced and pounded thin then cooked
quickly. This technique makes for a tender piece
of meat that is luxurious to eat. Great for a lunch
or dinner dish for any occasion, any time of the
year.
• 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 bunch asparagus
• ¼ cup frozen peas
• 1 avocado (optional), sliced thin
• 1 lemon, ½ sliced thin for garnish, and ½
juiced
• Arugula, drizzled with olive oil (for garnish)
• Parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare chicken: Slice each breast into 2-3 very
thin escallops, horizontally. It helps to press
down on the breast with your non-cutting hand
while slicing through. You can opt for only two
per breast, depending on your knife skills. Place
paillards between parchment paper and pound
thin with a meat tenderizer or bottom of a small
heavy saucepan. Set aside.
Prepare Garden Veggie garnish: Thinly slice the
asparagus spears on a bias, set aside. Quarter,
seed and finely dice the tomato. Pull the desired
amount of frozen peas and set aside in a small
bowl. Halve, pit, peel and slice avocado and
drizzle with a bit of lemon juice to keep from
browning.
Chicken: In a shallow baking dish, layer the
chicken paillards and drizzle with olive oil and
a squeeze of lemon juice, season with salt and
pepper. Keep at room temperature while you
light the grill or heat a grill pan on the stove top.
Quickly grill the paillards, turning just once, about
3-4 minutes until just done in the center. Do not
overcook as they become rubbery. Remove from
the heat and cover with foil while you cook the
vegetables.
Vegetables: In a shallow sauté pan, add about
an inch of water, salt and teaspoon of butter and
bring to a simmer. Add the asparagus and cook
about 5-8 minutes until al dente. Remove from
pan and set aside while you prepare plates.
To serve: Arrange a single layer of the avocado
slices on the plate. Top with two paillards,
overlapping slightly and top with a mound of
asparagus tips. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs,
diced tomatoes, arugula, cracked pepper and an
extra drizzle of olive oil and lemon slice.
50 LAKE OCONEE LIVING | WINTER 2021