Enjoy restaurant quality Chicken Paillard in under 30 minutes with this simple recipe. The chicken cutlets are perfectly tender and cooked in a silky, buttery caper sauce.
Pair with whipped potatoes and steamed green beans to really impress your family. Bon appetit!
For another simple recipe, try our easy marry me chicken.
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
- Simple French Inspired Dish - This classic French dish is often served at lunch with a glass of wine and a side salad. But we absolutely love this dish and think it can be served anytime. Impress your guests at a dinner party and have them thinking you're a pro.
- On the Table In Less Than 30 Minutes - Incredibly simple to make and gives you chicken that is tender on the inside, and beautifully browned on the outside. The sauce is made in the same pan which adds so much flavor to the sauce and cuts down on cleaning time.
- Easy Restaurant-Level Dish for Beginners - Some of the best dishes at the fanciest restaurants are simple in nature. You don't need a lot of ingredients to make a first-class dish. You just need balance, and this recipe is balanced perfectly. If you love restaurant copy-cat dishes, check out our Tuscan Chicken.
- What is Chicken Paillard? The word "paillard" is a French word that refers to a piece of meat that is pounded until very thin. This version requires no pounding. We use cutlets that are already thin to remove an extra step in the cooking process.
Key ingredients
Olive Oil - Olive oil is our oil of choice for added depth of flavor, but a neutral oil can work as well.
Chicken Cutlets - No need to pound the chicken. We use cutlets which are already thin and cook evenly.
White Wine - We found that chardonnay was the ideal choice for the base of the sauce.
Garlic - The garlic should be minced to ensure even cooking and distribution in the sauce.
Butter - A beautiful butter sauce is a very traditional French method that compliments the chicken in this dish so well. We use unsalted butter so we can control the salt content. If you use salted butter, just use less salt and taste before adding more.
Capers - Capers bring a bright and lemony tang to the sauce that helps cut through the fat. Save the liquid to add to the sauce if you feel it needs more brininess.
Salt and Pepper - We give you exact amounts to add for salt and pepper, but as always, salt and pepper to your personal taste.
Parsley (for garnish) - Parsley brings an element of freshness to this dish that finishes it off so well and enhances the overall presentation.
If you have any questions about the ingredients, please leave a comment below and we will get back to you.
How to make chicken paillard
Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, or frying pan. Add in the chicken cutlets and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned.
Remove the cutlets from the pan to a plate.
Add the wine into the pan, and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine cook until it reduces to very little.
Add the garlic, butter, capers, and salt and pepper to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring.
Add the cutlets back to the pan, and spoon the sauce over the top of each cutlet.
Continue to cook until the chicken is done and cooked through.
Garnish with sauce from the pan, and chopped parsley, and serve warm.
For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the printable recipe card below.
For a light lunch, serve with a side salad and our homemade sugar free salad dressing.
Top tip
Dryer wines, or less sweat wines work best. We used a chardonnay.
Substitutions
- Chicken: You can use chicken breast. Cut each breast in half horizontally, and flatten with a meat tenderizer to make a chicken cutlet.
- Capers: These can be replaced with olives for that similar briny flavor.
Storage instructions
Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Reheat on the stove over medium low heat or in the microwave.
Pairing suggestions
More delicious chicken recipes
We've gathered a few of our favorite easy chicken recipes for you.
We hope you give them a try. We also love this Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade, for marinating chicken thighs.
We hope you love this recipe as much as we did! Please help us out by leaving a quick review and star ★ rating below.
LET'S GET SOCIAL, you can follow Four Score Living on Pinterest. You can also leave a comment below if you have any questions.
📖 Recipe
Easy Chicken Paillard
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. chicken cutlets see notes for using chicken breast
- 8 oz. white wine we used chardonnay
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons capers with liquid
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet, or frying pan. Add in the chicken cutlets and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned.
- Remove the chicken cutlets from the pan to a plate.
- Add the wine into the pan, and use a spatula to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine cook until it reduces to very little.
- Add the garlic, butter, capers, and salt and pepper to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the chicken cutlets back to the pan, and spoon the sauce over the top of each cutlet.
- Continue to cook until the chicken is done and cooked through.
- Garnish with sauce from the pan, and chopped parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
- You can use chicken breast. Cut each chicken breast in half horizontally, and flatten with a meat tenderizer to make a chicken cutlet.
- Dryer wines, or less sweat wines work best. We used a chardonnay.
- Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Leave a Question or Comment