Poulet Paillard
Chapter 2 — The Mains
A heavy meat mallet strikes, enforcing a precise quarter-inch thickness. If a diner has ever secured a midday table at Pastis or Balthazar, ordered a glass of Sancerre, and torn into the Chicken Paillard, they understand exactly why the line cook must balance a roaring cast-iron skillet to sear the exterior instantly before the flattened center overcooks. Skipping the overnight dry brine is culinary self-sabotage: pounding breaks down the muscle, while an open-air rest in the fridge allows the salt to penetrate and the surface to dry completely. When that tacky meat hits screaming-hot iron, it forms a viciously crisp crust in under three minutes. Finished with a glossy pan sauce mounted with cold, cultured 83-percent-fat butter, bitter frisée, Picholine olives, and a snowfall of Parmigiano, the final sequence is ruthless: get the pan smoking hot, drop the butter, and do not walk away.
Before you start
Butterfly and pound the chicken to a uniform thickness.
If the breasts are remarkably thick, slice them in half horizontally. Place one piece between two large sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy rolling pin, firmly but gently pound the chicken with a slight outward motion. Stop when the entire cutlet is an even 1/4-inch thick.
Season and dry brine the paillards overnight.
Season both sides generously with the kosher salt, aiming for about 1.5% salt by weight. Place the chicken in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. The salt seasons the meat to the core, while the continuous airflow dries the exterior to a tacky pellicle, guaranteeing a proper crust.
Prepare the salad and vinaigrette before cooking.
Bistro cooking is fast, and the pan sauce waits for no one. In a large bowl, whisk the Champagne vinegar and Dijon mustard, then slowly stream in the olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Add the frisée, olives, almonds, and tomatoes to the bowl, but do not toss the salad until the chicken is cooked and resting.
Ingredients
- air-chilled boneless skinless chicken breasts2 large
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt1 tbsp
- black pepperto taste
- grapeseed or canola oil2 tbsp
- shallot1 large
- garlic2 clove
- high-quality chicken stock1/2 cup
- fresh lemon juice3 tbsp
- French cultured butter4 tbsp
- fresh chives1 tbsp
- head of frisée1 large
- Picholine olives1/4 cup
- Marcona almonds1/4 cup
- cherry tomatoes1 pt
- Champagne vinegar1 tbsp
- Dijon mustard1 tsp
- extra-virgin olive oil3 tbsp
- Parmigiano-Reggiano1 block
Method
- 01
Sear the paillards in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet.
Remove the chicken from the fridge and season generously with black pepper without adding more salt. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the grapeseed oil, lay the chicken away from you into the pan, and sear undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until a deep golden-brown crust forms. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, then transfer to a warm serving platter and tent loosely with foil.
- 02
Build the beurre monté pan sauce.
Lower the heat to medium and discard any burnt oil from the skillet, leaving the browned fond. Add the minced shallot and garlic, stirring constantly for 60 seconds until softened. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and lemon juice, scraping up the browned bits, and let the liquid reduce by half. Turn the heat to the lowest possible setting and add the ice-cold cultured butter cubes one at a time, swirling continuously. The butter will melt into a glossy, velvety emulsion that coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat immediately and stir in the chives.
- 03
Dress the salad and assemble the plates.
Pour the warm lemon-butter pan sauce directly over the resting chicken paillards. Toss the frisée salad with the prepared vinaigrette until lightly coated, then mound a generous handful directly on top of each piece of chicken. Finish by using a vegetable peeler to shave large, rustic curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top, and serve immediately.
Notes
Adaptations for the standard supermarket pantry.
If Picholine olives are unavailable, Castelvetrano are the only acceptable substitute; under no circumstances should you use canned California black olives. If you cannot find French cultured butter, use the highest-fat sweet cream butter available and whisk in a minuscule drop of crème fraîche off the heat to mimic the proper lactic tang.
Substituting the bitter greens.
Frisée is traditional because its sturdy, bitter structure holds up to rich meats and warm pan sauces. If you cannot find a pristine head of frisée, a peppery baby arugula is a perfectly authentic brasserie substitute widely utilized by heavyweights like Thomas Keller.