It’s surprisingly easy to make hen paillard at dwelling that tastes prefer it’s straight out of a French bistro! It comes out tender and bathed in a tangy, savory pan sauce—the right dish for simple weeknight dinners or impressing pals. Everybody at all times desires seconds in our home!
Why we love this recipe
In the event you’re in search of a recipe that claims, “I do know what I’m doing within the kitchen” however is definitely easy to place collectively, two phrases: hen paillard. This traditional French recipe is elegantly easy and one of many high recipes we pull out to impress family and friends.
We first had the dish at a French restaurant close to out home, and it was so completely taste packed, we needed to strive our personal spin on the recipe. Right here’s our model, the place tender cutlets are bathed in a tangy, savory sauce that may have you ever need to lick your plate clear! Serve with an arugula salad and it’s acquired a sophistication that works for friends however is the right straightforward dinner thought.
“My oh my the flavour right here is so good! The hen was juicy but agency, I actually like your technique of butterflying earlier than cooking within the pan. After which the sauce! I might drink this sauce out of a cup, ha! Unimaginable taste and straightforward to make.” -Tanvee
What’s hen paillard?
Hen paillard is a traditional French dish starring a boneless, skinless hen breast that has been pounded to a skinny, even thickness. In reality, “paillard” means “scallop” in French, which refers back to the hen’s flattened form—not a sauce. The pounding method permits for fast cooking, leading to a fantastically browned cutlet with tender, juicy inside. It’s not unusual on French bistro menus or in New York Metropolis eating places.
Elements in hen paillard
Like several good French recipe, hen paillard is all about high quality of elements. Right here’s what you’ll must know to make this recipe shine:
- Hen breast: Purchase natural hen if in any respect doable. Search for boneless skinless hen breasts, or cutlets if doable.
- Butter: The French approach of cooking hen is in butter! We like salted butter to season the dish. If desired, you’ll be able to substitute olive oil
- Garlic: Contemporary garlic is vital for the flavour; don’t use jarred garlic because it typically has a bitter or acidic taste.
- Shallot: Shallots carry a refined onion taste. Substitute yellow onion in a pinch!
- Apple cider vinegar: Only a trace of ACV provides a tang to the sauce.
- Stone floor mustard: The star right here is stone floor mustard, which provides a savory taste and good look to the sauce. Use Dijon mustard in a pinch.
- White wine or hen inventory: For a complicated aptitude, cooking with white wine provides a vibrancy to the sauce. And, you’ll be able to drink glasses from the bottle when you prepare dinner!).
Methods to butterfly hen breast
An important a part of hen paillard is the “paillard” half: forming the hen into skinny cutlets in order that they prepare dinner evenly. Historically hen paillard is pounded in order that it comes out tender. Right here’s what to do to butterfly a hen breast and pound it earlier than cooking:
Step 1: Place your hand excessive of the hen breast. Use a pointy knife to fastidiously slice the breast horizontally, leaving the sting intact so it may open up like a ebook.
Step 2: Unfold the hen breast, then reduce alongside the fold to separate the 2 halves (every half is a cutlet).
Step 3: Cowl the hen with plastic wrap and evenly pound the hen with a mallet or heavy pan to make it an excellent 1/4-inch thickness.
Methods to serve hen paillard
Hen paillard is commonly served with an arugula salad, because it provides a pleasant contemporary counterpoint to the savory hen. Listed here are a few of our favourite easy methods to serve it:
Storing leftovers
Leftover hen paillard shops nicely: retailer leftovers refrigerated for as much as 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop earlier than serving.
Extra favourite hen dinners
This hen paillard recipe is one other star in our favourite hen dinner concepts lineup! A number of extra we suggest attempting:
Dietary notes
This hen paillard recipe is gluten-free. For dairy-free, use olive oil or vegan butter.
Ceaselessly requested questions
The hen is cooked when it reaches an inside temperature of 165°F. It’s also possible to verify if it’s cooked by by making a small reduce within the thickest a part of the hen and guaranteeing it’s now not pink.
Completely! A easy pan sauce with lemon, butter, and herbs is a traditional pairing. It’s also possible to get inventive with different sauces, comparable to a creamy mushroom sauce or a tomato-based sauce.
It’s finest to prepare dinner hen paillard simply earlier than serving for optimum texture and taste. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to pound the hen breasts forward of time and retailer them within the fridge till able to prepare dinner. Leftovers retailer refrigerated as much as 3 days.
Description
It’s surprisingly easy to make hen paillard at dwelling that tastes prefer it’s straight out of a French bistro! It comes out tender and bathed in a tangy, savory pan sauce—the right dish for simple weeknight dinners or impressing pals. Everybody at all times desires seconds in our home!
- 2 boneless skinless hen breasts or 4 cutlets (1 to 1 ½ kilos, natural if doable)*
- 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced (or 3 tablespoons minced yellow onion)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon stone floor mustard (or Dijon mustard)
- ½ cup dry white wine or hen inventory
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (or olive oil or vegan butter)
- Finely chopped contemporary parsley, for garnish (elective)
- Pat the hen dry with a paper towel. If utilizing breasts, slice them in half horizontally (should you purchased cutlets, skip this step). If desired, place the hen cutlets between two items of plastic wrap and place them on a reducing board. Utilizing a mallet or heavy skillet, pound them to an excellent 1/4” thickness.
- Sprinkle the hen on all sides with the kosher salt (utilizing as much as 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt you probably have 1 ½ kilos hen) and black pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a big skillet and warmth over medium warmth. Add the hen and prepare dinner for 3 to five minutes per aspect, till browned on each side. When the interior temperature is 165°F, or the middle is now not pink, take away to a platter.
- In the identical skillet, cut back the warmth to low and add the minced garlic and shallot. Prepare dinner for about 1 minute, till the garlic is aromatic, then stir within the apple cider vinegar, mustard, and white wine (or hen inventory). Deliver to a boil, scraping up the brown bits from the pan for additional taste.
- Cut back to a simmer, then add the butter. Simmer till thickened barely, about 2 minutes.
- Serve heat, drizzling the sauce over the hen. If desired, sprinkle with chopped parsley to garnish. Leftovers retailer as much as 3 days refrigerated.
- Class: Predominant dish
- Technique: Stovetop
- Delicacies: French
- Weight loss program: Gluten Free
