#mytexasplate @winewithlisa
Chicken Paillard
What to do with boneless, skinless chicken breasts that you haven’t done before? There are sooooo many options when you begin with a paillard.
Paillard is a very fancy French term that simply means that a boneless chicken breast (or veal) is pounded out very thin with a meat mallet. Think of it as a blank artist’s palette ready for you to create your own food “art.”
Three reasons why you should start making chicken this way:
- Pounding the chicken breast thin allows the chicken to cook quickly therefore retaining more juiciness.
- Pounding the chicken breast thin tenderizes the meat.
- Pounding the chicken breast thin is a great way to “stretch the meal.” As it’s pounded the meat gets bigger and flatter so it appears you have a huge piece of meat.
Naturally lower carb
Eating lower carb is very popular these days and a large, flat chicken paillard is perfect for piling on all kinds of toppings and veggies without adding carbs and feeling full and satisfied.
This recipe got such rave reviews from my family that there will be more to follow!
How to make a Paillard
You will need plastic wrap, wax paper or gallon-sized plastic bags, meat mallet and a pound-proof hard surface.
Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in between plastic wrap or plastic bags.
Pound the breasts tapping them evenly from the center outward. Try to get it as thin as you can without breaking through the meat. If that happens, don’t worry, the chicken breasts are very forgiving. When cooking just try to put it back together as much as possible and the cooking process will take care of that.
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- olive oil
- Combine in a small bowl 1 teaspoonful of each Mexican Seasoning Blend:
- Cumin, ground
- Chili powder
- Onion powder
- Seasoned garlic salt
- Coriander, ground
- Mexican Oregano, rubbing between fingers to crush the larger leaves
- ***A Pinch of Cayenne
- Plus extra cumin for stirring into beans
- Pico de Gallo with cilantro, freshly made and available from the produce section
- 1 can Refried Black Beans (Pinto Beans or Your Favorite Bean Dip)
- Jarred Salsa, Red or Green
- Chorizo, cooked and crumbled for one package *you may have leftovers
- Guacamole or sliced avocados
- 1 large bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Fresh or pickled jalapeños
- Sliced Green onions for garnish
- Spicy Ranch Dressing from the bottle OR make it from the packet
- OR
- Sour Cream
- *Added to a squeeze bottle if made from fresh
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet to medium
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Foil line a sheet pan big enough to fit at least 6 chicken paillards
- Place refried beans in small pan and turn on low
- Stir in a couple of tablespoonsful of salsa and a dash of cumin or chili powder until not so thick
- Keep warm
- Place each chicken breast between plastic wrap, wax paper or in plastic bags
- Pound out each chicken breast until thin but not broken through, although it’s common to break
- Evenly sprinkle each paillard with seasoning blend on both sides
- Raise the temperature slightly in pan Pour 2 to 3 T of olive oil in pan
- Brown on both sides all 6 chicken paillards
- Place on foil lined pan
- Evenly divide and spread refried beans over one side of paillard
- Sprinkle about 1 tablespoonful cooked and crumbled chorizo over beans
- Generously top each paillard with cheese blend
- Top with jalapeños
- Bake in oven until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned
- Remove from oven
- Drizzle Spicy Ranch over each
- Top with Pico de Gallo and Guacamole
Pingback: My Texas Plate: How to Make The Best Italian Pork Parmesan Paillard – Wine With Lisa