Chicken Paillard

Chicken paillard is a boneless, skinless chicken breast that has been pounded flat, usually to about 1/4 inch thick, so it cooks quickly and evenly over high heat. The term comes from French technique and originally referred to any thin cut of meat cooked fast, but in American kitchens it almost always means chicken breast flattened, then grilled or pan-seared and topped with a light salad or citrus sauce.

Varieties

Paillard, scaloppine, and cutlet all describe thin-sliced meat but differ slightly in method. A cutlet is simply a naturally thin cut or a slice from a larger piece, a scaloppine is Italian for a thin slice that's often dredged in flour before cooking, and a paillard is specifically pounded thin with a mallet rather than sliced, then typically cooked quickly without breading.

Buying tips

Buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pound them yourself for the freshest result and to control thickness, or ask a butcher to slice and flatten them for you if you're short on time. Choose breasts that are similar in size so cooking times match when preparing several at once.

Substitutes

• Turkey breast cutlet, pounded thin — 1:1

  Nearly identical texture and cooking time; slightly drier, so watch it closely on the heat.

• Veal scaloppine — 1:1

  More tender and delicate than chicken, cooks even faster since it's usually cut thinner to begin with.

• Pork loin cutlet, pounded thin — 1:1

  Slightly richer flavor; needs a minute or two more per side since raw pork should reach a higher internal temperature.

• Chicken thigh, boned and pounded flat — 1:1

  More forgiving and flavorful than breast, but less visually uniform since thighs are irregularly shaped.

• Extra-firm tofu, pressed and sliced thin — 1:1

  For a vegetarian version; sear in a hot pan with oil to get color, since tofu won't brown as readily as chicken.

Storage

Raw pounded paillards can be layered between sheets of parchment or plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen flat in a single layer for up to 2 months. Because they're thin, they thaw in under an hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Cooked paillards keep in the refrigerator for 3 days and reheat best in a skillet rather than the microwave, which tends to make them rubbery.

How to use

Pound the breast between plastic wrap with a meat mallet or the flat side of a heavy pan until it's an even 1/4 inch thick, working from the center outward. Season simply with salt, pepper, and a little olive oil, then cook over medium-high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, since the thinness means it goes from perfectly cooked to dry in under a minute of overcooking. Classic serving is topped with a lemon-dressed arugula salad, but paillard also works dredged lightly in flour for a golden crust, or finished with a pan sauce of butter, capers, and white wine.

What it pairs with

Pairs well with bright, acidic elements that cut through the mild chicken: lemon, capers, white wine, sherry vinegar, and peppery greens like arugula or watercress. A dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or a simple side of roasted potatoes rounds out the plate without competing with the delicate texture.

Nutrition

A skinless chicken breast paillard is lean, roughly 26 grams of protein and under 3 grams of fat per 4-ounce portion before any oil or breading is added. Pounding it thin doesn't change the nutrition, only the surface area and cooking speed.

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