Pounded Grilled Chicken with Tomato, Olive, and Avocado Salad

If you plunk a whole roasted chicken on the center of my dining table, I’ll go for the leg or thigh every time. I’m a sucker for dark meat and relish the visceral act of nibbling on a chicken bone. That said, I’ve been embracing the chicken breast of late, not cut from a whole chicken mind you, but boneless and skinless, cooked all by its lonesome. I’ve settled on a technique that makes the most of the meat and have found myriad ways to serve it. In this version — Pounded Grilled Chicken with Tomato, Olive, and Avocado Salad — the dish takes a decidedly summery spin. It’s juicy and satisfying, but also light, nourishing, and just right for warm weather dining. Indeed, it’s my current favorite thing to eat on a summer night or for lunch if I’m feeling fancy.

How to Pound Chicken Breasts

The first step in nailing this dish is to pound the chicken breasts. You can use a mallet or the side of a rolling pin to do so. This accomplishes a few things:

1. It makes the breasts uniform in thickness, so they cook evenly all the way across. You won’t end up with one thin overcooked end while the fat end is juicy.
2. It tenderizes the chicken, which is a good thing since it’s quite lean and can easily run tough.
3. It results in more surface area to soak up the tasty marinade.
4. It means your the chicken cooks quickly, under 10 minutes start to finish.

Pounded Chicken on the Grill or the Stove

Although an outdoor grill is my go-to method for this during the summer months, you can do the job quite successfully on a grill pan or even a cast iron skillet. The key is to get your cooking surface very hot and well oiled before laying down the chicken. When pounded, the breasts are quite large, so you may have to cook them one at a time if you’re pan isn’t big enough. Alternatively, you can cook the breasts under your oven broiler.

Tomato, Olive, and Avocado Salad

I love to crown this pounded chicken (also known as chicken paillard) with any number of salads. Sometimes I’ll top it with a generous heap of lightly dressed arugula. I’ve also served it with this Corn and Pickled Onion Salad. That said, the Tomato, Olive, and Avocado combo featured in this recipe is a real winner. I typically use Castelvetrano olives, which are meaty and mildly briny without being overpowering. If you can’t find them or prefer another variety, by my guest. This salad is very flexible that way. In fact, here are a few other swaps and substitutions that might grab your interest.

• Use chopped ripe tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes, particularly if you can get your hands on some wonderful local tomatoes or have a garden teaming with them.
• Add another summer vegetables, such as a cup of diced cucumber or lightly steamed corn.
• Add a half to a full cup cooked grains, such as farro or sorghum. Add a bit more of the dressing ingredients so it’s properly seasoned and flavorful.
• If you don’t like olives, leave them out or add something else briny to the mix, such as a few tablespoons of capers.
• Top with several tablespoons of crumbled feta.

Make it a Meal

This is one of those recipes that is light and easy enough for everyday cooking, but is also the sort of dish I’d serve guests. As for side dishes, a loaf of crusty bread and simple green salad would do if you want to keep things simple. I also think this Watermelon Feta Salad, this Quinoa Tabbouleh, or this Farro and Fig Salad would make worthy sides as well. For dessert? Brown Sugar Roasted Apricots with Crème Fraîche would be just right.

If You Like Pounded Grilled Chicken, check out :

Cilantro Lime Yogurt-Marinated Chicken

Everything Spiced Baked Chicken

Grilled Chicken Kebab Wraps

Chicken Paillard with Shallots and Capers

Chicken Piccata from Simply Recipes