These Chicken Paillards with Maple Dijon Pan Sauce are a super simple weeknight dinner! The chicken cooks up in minutes, and a savory and sweet maple dijon pan sauce ties it all together.
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When I want dinner fast I often reach for boneless and skinless chicken breast. While this lean protein gets a bad reputation as being boring and basic, this recipe proves that it can be anything but that!
These Chicken Paillards with Maple Dijon Pan Sauce come together in a flash and are brimming with delicious flavor. Read on to learn more about this super simple supper!
What Is A Paillard?
The term paillard is French and refers to a piece of boneless meat that is pounded out, both tenderizing the meat and allowing it to cook quickly. It’s a fantastic coking method to familiarize yourself with, as it works great with chicken, pork, and beef!
How to Make Chicken Paillards
First and foremost, you’ll butterfly boneless and skinless chickens breasts. This is especially important if you’re starting with chicken breasts that are thick. This is a simple process in which you slice the chicken in half horizontally, using your non knife wielding hand to press on the chicken breast. You’ll stop right before you slice all the way through though, opening the meat up resulting in a larger piece of meat. You’ll then cover it with plastic wrap and pound the meat out until it’s a uniform thickness.
Cooking Chicken Paillards
You can season the chicken paillards however you prefer, although I find that a simple sprinkling of salt and pepper is best, since I typically introduce more flavor in the way I serve them.
They take no more 6 minutes to cook in an olive oil drizzled sauté pan over medium heat. It’s really that simple!
How To Make A Pan Sauce
Cooking techniques like this are my favorite since everything can be made in one pan. After the chicken paillards are removed from the pan, it’s time to make a pan sauce! Here’s the general method to follow:
- Add a small amount of olive oil if your pan is dry, although you’ll likely have some residual moisture from cooking the chicken.
- Add aromatics. Onions and garlic are a great place to start, but you could also add ingredients like ginger or hot peppers depending on what flavor you’re trying to achieve.
- Deglaze. I like using wine, but vermouth, stock, cider, and juices are all delicious options as well.
- Add liquid. Stock is the best option here, as it already boasts flavor which will only intensify as the sauce reduces.
- Add flavor. Dijon mustard and maple syrup add seasonal flare in this dish, but the sky is the limit here! Capers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, mushrooms, cream, citrus juice, or fresh herbs are all excellent options to play with.
How To Serve Chicken Paillards
To serve this quick dish, I like starting with a base which depends on what I’m craving. Greens make a wonderfully light option: I particularly like arugula, which is a classic serving option for paillards. You could also consider Lightened Up Creamy Mashed Potatoes or Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic Butter and Thyme for a heartier meal, too.
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Chicken Paillards with Maple Dijon Pan Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
For the Maple Dijon Pan Sauce
- 2 Tbsp shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 oz dry white wine
- 2/3 cup chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
To serve
- Arugula
Instructions
- Lay your chicken breasts out on your cutting board. Holding a long thin knife in one hand while pressing downtime chicken breast with the other, slice the chicken breast in half horizontally, slicing through the middle of the breast. Stop slicing when you're almost all the way through, opening the chicken breast up like a book.
- Place plastic wrap over both piece of chicken and using a meat mallet (or a glass) pound the meat out uniformly to about 1/4 inch. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet set over medium high heat, add seasoned chicken paillards to the pan. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Return pan to heat.
For the Maple Dijon Pan Sauce
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced shallot and garlic to saute pan. Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed, although the residual cooking liquid will likely suffice.
- Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add in white wine, stirring to deglaze the pan. Allow to cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken stock, dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Stir constantly to combine the ingredients. Cook for about 4 minutes until sauce is combined and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your liking.
- To serve, top two plates with a handful of arugula. Add chicken paillard to each plate and drizzle with sauce.
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