Is it weird that every time I travel for business, where we tend to eat like crap, I come home craving chicken, and a green salad or endives? Yes, endives! No particular chicken recipe, just chicken. We use to live near a grocery store, and it was easy to swing by on the way home from the airport, grab a chicken, some bread and cheese, endives and a bottle of red. Now, it takes a bit more planning as for where we live is not so convenient. Which means, I usually have something tucked away in the freezer to warm up upon getting home. We are on a business trip now, and all, I can think about, is this Chicken Paillard recipe, and the frozen breasts tucked into the freezer.
This is one of those recipes; that is simple enough to make in a flash, but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. Simple and fresh ingredients are the stars for this recipe that I worked on for Eat Boutique last year. I like to leave the skin on as it is full of flavor, as well it helps keep the flesh moist. The seasonings are staples in our pantry and should be in yours; thyme, lemons, butter, and olive oil. All that is left is a little time with a mallet to pound out the meat, and then sautéed until golden. I told you it would be a simply elegant way to enjoy dinner.
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Chicken Paillard
Any easy to-go recipe for busy week nights. We love this tender chicken breast that is lightly pan-fried until golden and then finished in the oven.
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce skin-on boneless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (for dusting)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme finely minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°. Place chicken between 2 sheets of wax-paper; using a mallet, pound chicken until 1/2-inch thick. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Sift the flour onto a plate. Mix the fresh thyme with the flour.
Dust the chicken with flour; shake off excess. You want a very thin coating.
Melt butter along with the olive oil in an oven proof frying pan.
Place chicken in skillet skin side down. Cook, occasionally pressing on chicken with a spatula so skin maintains even contact with skillet, until skin is brown, 5-6 minutes.
Flip the chicken over. Transfer skillet to oven; roast until chicken is just cooked through, 8 – 12 minutes. Timing depends on how your oven heats up.
Remove skillet from oven. Let stand in skillet for 1 minute.
Transfer chicken to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon halves alongside.
Notes
Inspired by my great aunt and Bon Appetit Magazine.