February 2010 Recipe of the Month – Chicken Paillard

By Paula Hendricks - Nutritionist on February 10, 2010

 Chicken Paillard with Wine & Mushroom Sauce – Makes 4 Servings

 I just love to serve this simple yet elegant chicken dish to my family on a weeknight –they think I went to so much effort because it’s that good.  Even the name sounds elegant.  Paillard simply means chicken that is pounded with a mallet until very thin and grilled which, by the way, makes it very tender.  The best part – it only takes about 15-20 minutes to prepare this dish from start to finish.  Have a side salad ready.  Enjoy on any of the Key Diets.

 Ingredients:

•  Four 4.5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to create eight (8) evenly  proportioned, thin-sliced chicken breasts  ( if possible, ask the butcher to do this for you)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup white wine
• One garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/3 cup light sour cream (or more to thicken sauce)
• Two 4 oz cans sliced mushrooms (you can use fresh but cook before using), about 1 cup cooked
• Juice of half a lemon (use remainder of lemon for lemon wedge garnish)
• 1 tsp Made in Napa Valley Poultry Seasoning (or 1 tsp of Herbs de Provence seasoning)

 Instructions:

 1.      Place two pieces of chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap or in a plastic bag and pound chicken with the smooth side of a mallet (or use a small saucepan) until chicken is uniformly about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.  Continue until all pieces have been pounded.  Season with the poultry seasoning or seasoning of your choice. 

2.      Have all ingredients out, measured and ready to use before you start grilling.  If using fresh mushrooms, put them in the microwave in a covered bowl on high for 2-3 minutes.  Drain any excess liquid.

3.      Heat a skillet over high heat (don’t use non-stick).  Add one tablespoon olive oil to the pan and 4 pieces of the chicken.  Grill on each side for about 1 ½-2 minutes – chicken should be slightly browned and cooked through.  Place cooked chicken on a plate, cover and keep warm. 

4.      Cook second batch of chicken as directed above.

5.      After chicken is cooked, in the same pan, turn heat down to medium and add the wine.  Be careful as the wine will steam and bubble.  With a wooden spoon, scrape the inside of the pan to dislodge any residual chicken bits to prepare the juice.  Add the minced garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.

6.      Add the chicken broth and lemon juice and wait for liquid to bubble, about 1 minute.  Gradually add the sour cream and stir quickly with a whisk to blend.  If not thick enough, add a little more sour cream, about 2 tablespoons.  Turn down heat on pan to low and let simmer for about 1 minute.

7.      Add the mushrooms and simmer for one more minute.      

8.      To assemble for serving, place two pieces of chicken on a dinner plate and top with a little mushroom wine sauce.

9.      Garnish the plate with some fresh herbs, lemon wedges or toss some capers on top.   

 Variations:  Don’t like mushrooms?  Omit them and put chicken and sauce over sautéed spinach or chard.    

 Nutritional Value:  Each serving contains approximately 270 calories, 35 grams of protein, 10 grams of fat and 9 grams of carbohydrates.

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