Chicken Paillard

This is a fun and easy one. Sure, it has a little butter and oil but it’s all fresh ingredients, lots of protein and veggies, plus it looks good on the plate. The tomatoes are optional but add an honest chunkiness. 

The chicken can also frozen right in the bag after pounding them, to make preparation midweek even easier.

Ingredients

1 1 1/2 pound package thin sliced chicken breast
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon zested and juiced
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup tomatoes (diced stewed, fresh ripe native or quartered cherry) – optional
1 bag baby spinach

Instructions

Place each cutlet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, or in a large zipper bag, and use the bottom of a heavy pan to pound them about twice as flat.

Transfer to a shallow baking dish and coat the chicken with the olive oil. Mix together the thyme, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Rub the herb mixture over the chicken until evenly seasoned.

Wash hands and pounding area/tools with hot water and soap before continuing.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook cutlets in batches, placing 2-3 cutlets in a single layer and cooking for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Keep cooked chicken warm.

Return pan to medium heat and add butter. When the butter melts, whisk in the flour and continue to stirring for 1-2 minutes to make a light roux. Whisk in chicken broth and if using, add tomato chunks.

When broth thickens slightly (2-3 minutes) remove pan from heat.
Toss spinach with lemon juice.

To serve, ladle warm sauce to cover bottom of each plate. Add a handful of spinach to each plate, then top with 2 chicken cutlets. Optionally ladle the remaining broth and tomato mix on the top.