If you’ve ever been down to the southern states and stopped in a diner (or even in some of the fine restaurants), you’ve probably seen chicken fried steak on the menu. I tried it once when I was a kid and to this day I still don’t really understood why anyone would choose to bread steak, fry it then cover it in that milky gravy. It’s a great way to use an inexpensive cut of beef – and pounding it helps to tenderize it but I still don’t get it and I’m not a fan of that gravy!
This week on Pazoo.com I’m sharing a recipe for Chicken Paillard. Paillard is very similar to Milanese, Escalope and Scaloppini. Some call for breading and all call for the meat to be pounded out fairly thin. Here’s a quick tip! Put a single portion of the meat in a sandwich size zip top bag and pound it out so it almost reaches each side of the bag. Doing this will ensure that your portions are all the same size and should cook in the same amount of time. You can use chicken, turkey, pork or veal depending on your taste, your budget and what’s available in the market. Some stores sell thin cutlets but I’d rather pound them out myself.
Most recipes will suggest topping Paillard or Milanese with a fresh arugula salad with a bright lemony dressing though there are other ways to enjoy it. Check out my recipe on Pazoo.com for a Healthy Father’s Day Salad. The salad greens, dressing and fresh fruit would be a great pairing with chicken or turkey paillard. So, start thinking about chicken with a light crispy coating – what would you add to the top? Maybe a handful of ripe tomatoes chopped with some kalamata olives and capers with a light drizzle of a really good olive oil or top it with a bit of warm tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella cheese? Not too much warm sauce or it will make the coating soggy. You could leave it plain and add some spaghetti aglio olio (a simple sauce made from garlic, olive oil, parsley and parmesan cheese) and steamed broccoli on the side.
I hope you’ll try making this for your family and friends. Once you get the hang of it, it will become an easy go-to dish!
Fire it up!
Chef Eric