pat's Recipe

Chicken Paillards with Lemon-Butter Sauce

Category: Poultry

Start with a bone-in breast half (this will yield 2 paillards). Insert tip of a boning knife near the ribs, and work the knife along the bone to remove the meat.
Place one hand on the chicken curving your fingers up slightly for safety. Slice meat horizontally, cutting almost to the other side. Open it like a book.
Place meat inside a plastic bag or between plastic wrap. Working from center out, pound with the smooth side of a mallet until meat is 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 2 pieces.

Lemon segments give this dish great flavor. To segment the fruit, cut away all the peel and white pith. Then slice along the membranes. Serve the chicken and sauce over fresh spinach.

4 chicken paillards
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp unsalted butter and more as needed
1/4 cup minced or sliced shallot
segments and juice from 2 lemons
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
fresh spinach

Season 4 chicken paillards (from 2 breast halves) on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter foams. Add 2 paillards, and saute on 1 side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Flip, and saute paillards until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Raise heat to medium-high, and repeat with remaining paillards.
Add shallot to skillet and cook over medium heat, adding oil or butter as needed, stirring often, until golden, about 1 minute. Raise heat to medium-high. Add segments and juice of lemons, 3/4 cup chicken stock, and any plate juices, and deglaze the pan, scraping brown bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sauce reduces by half, about 3 minutes. Gradually stir 2 to 3 Tbsp cold unsalted butter (cut into small pieces) until just melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper..
Place spinach on a serving plate, place paillards on top and pour the tangy, velvety sauce over the top, which will wilt the greens slightly.

serves 2 to 4