Chicken Paillard

Paillard is simply quick cooking thinly sliced or pounded pieces of meat. Typically this process is associated with veal or chicken, but beef can also be used.

We eat chicken regularly but I find that sometimes, it gets monotonous. When I spotted these recipes in a back issue of a Martha Stewart magazine, I added them to my recipe binder to break the chicken boredom.

Two very easy, very quick and very delicious recipes. We'll make them both again.

With the fried chicken, it is not necessary to use the amount of lard listed. I used not quite an inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet which was plenty to brown the crust.

The grilled chicken cooked quickly on the barbeque due to it's thinness. We had marinated it that afternoon and, although wary of the lime juice, discovered it to be delicious. The chilies added a subtle but noticeable heat that went very well with the lime.

Fried Chicken Paillard

Martha Stewart
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups non fat buttermilk
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
8 slices white bread, crusts removed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup vegetable shortening or vegetable oil

In an airtight container, combine buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place a chicken breast half between 2 twelve inch squares of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder or the bottom of a sauce pan, 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 non stick 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.

Grilled Chicken Paillard

Martha Stewart
Serves 4

To prepare the chicken, place the boneless breasts in a resealable plastic bag one at a time, and pound them using the smooth side of a meat tenderizer. Once all of the breasts have been pounded, place them back in the bag to marinate the chicken.

2 cloves garlic, crushed
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
salt and freshly ground black pepper

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.

Chicken Paillard