Easy Chicken Paillard with Shallots and Capers

Chicken Paillard with Wine and Capers sounds like everything that it’s not: fussy in a Julia Child sort of way, terribly fattening as so many French dishes are, and far better suited to a grown up’s palate than a child’s. In fact, it’s neither fussy nor fattening. Once you get the chicken pounded, which you can bang out in five minutes, the rest goes quickly. Ineed, this Easy Chicken Paillard practically qualifies as a 15 Minute Fix – a recipe that can be done, start to finish, in a quarter of an hour.

A Lighter Chicken Paillard

Recipes like this one typically load on the butter. Here, I use avocado oil to brown the chicken, which cuts down the amount of saturated fat, and rely on butter solely to flavor the sauce. If you read my piece recently on Five Favorite Fats, you’d know that butter is one of them, but that a little does go a long way. Butter and all, this chicken comes in at under 250 calories a serving.

Family-Friendly Recipe

As for the kid friendly factor, mine gobble this down with as much enthusiasm as when I set a plate of Chicken Parmesan in front of them. The chicken is tender, the capers lend a saltiness and tang that balances gorgeously with the butter. The amount of alcohol in the dish per serving is quite small, and much of it burns off as it cooks. You can also simply leave any sauce off your child’s plate if you’re concerned.

Pair this with loads of vegetables and salad on the side, not hard to come by this time of year, and you are all set for family supper.

Bon appetit, mon’amie.

If you like this Easy Chicken Paillard, you might like:

Pounded Grilled Chicken with Tomato, Avocado and Olives

Afghan Chicken in Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Slow Cooker Chicken Marbella

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

5 from 3 votes

Print

Easy Chicken Paillard

A chicken paillard that’s easy enough for a weeknight supper, but is suitable for when company is coming, too. 

Course Dinner

Cuisine French

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large half breasts)
• 1 1/2 teaspoo Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons capers in brine, drained

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breasts horizontally in half to make 4 thinner pieces. Put one piece between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and use a heavy mallet to pound the breasts into 1/4 to 1/3-inch-thick pieces . Alternatively, you can pound the chicken with the side of a wooden rolling pin.

2. Season the chicken on both sizes with the salt and a light shower of black pepper. Spread the flour onto a dinner plate.

3. Set a skillet large enough to hold all of the chicken in one layer over high heat. While that heats up, dredge the chicken in flour, lightly coating each side and gently shaking off excess flour. Pour the oil into the pan ad swirl so evenly coats the pan.

4. Once the oil is hot, lay the chicken in the pan and cook it on one side until golden brown and the chicken looks cooked around the edges, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Turn over and brown the second size for another 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer to a serving plate and reserve in a warm spot in the kitchen, say near the stove.

5. Into that same skillet, over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook for another minute or so. Don't let it boil too rapidly or all of the liquid will evaporate. Add the capers and remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter, stir and remove from heat.

6. Immediately pour sauce over the chicken and serve.