This hen paillard recipe makes tender, golden cutlets with a tangy pan sauce that tastes prefer it’s straight out of a French bistro. Prepared in simply 25 minutes, it’s the right deliciously simple dinner thought for any night time of the week.

For those who’re on the lookout for a recipe that claims, “I do know what I’m doing within the kitchen,” I’ve obtained two phrases: hen paillard. This traditional French recipe is elegantly easy and one of many prime recipes I pull out once I wish to impress family and friends.
I first had this dish with Alex at a French restaurant close to out home, and it was so completely taste packed I needed to attempt create my very own model. The tender cutlets are bathed in a tangy, savory sauce that can have you ever wish to lick your plate! Serve it with an arugula salad and it’s the perfect refined but simple dinner.
What makes excellent hen paillard
Rooster paillard represents the essence of French cooking: high-quality substances handled with respect. “Paillard” truly means “scallop” in French, referring to the hen’s flattened form. The pounding approach makes for fast cooking, leading to a fantastically browned cutlet with tender, juicy inside.
In my recipe testing, I realized that correct hen paillard relies on three essential parts: the suitable lower of hen, pounding to even thickness all through, and high-heat cooking for the right golden crust.
Professional Tip: I like to start out with natural hen breasts when doable. The distinction in taste and texture is noticeable!
Important substances
Like every good French recipe, hen paillard is all about high quality of substances. Right here’s what you’ll must know:
Rooster breast is the muse. I like natural, boneless skinless breasts that weigh about 6 to eight ounces every. In case your retailer sells pre-cut cutlets, these work completely too.
Stone floor mustard makes the sauce’s spine. Its coarse texture and tangy chunk distinguish this from odd pan sauces.
Dry white wine provides brightness. I take advantage of no matter bottle I like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay (then serve with the meal). Rooster inventory substitutes nicely as an alcohol-free choice.
Recent garlic and shallots create fragrant depth. Jarred garlic usually tastes bitter in pan sauces, so I like to recommend sticking with recent cloves.
Apple cider vinegar gives refined acidity that balances the richness. Only a splash makes all the pieces style extra vibrant!
Salted butter finishes the sauce with luxurious richness. Use olive oil in the event you’re trying to adhere to the Mediterranean food plan. (I sometimes use butter right here because it’s a small amount.)
5 star reader assessment
“My oh my the flavour right here is so good! The hen was juicy but agency. After which the sauce: I might drink this sauce out of a cup! Unbelievable taste and simple to make.” -Tanvee


How one can butterfly andpound hen for paillard
Crucial a part of hen paillard is the “paillard” half: forming the hen into skinny cutlets in order that they cook dinner evenly. Historically hen paillard is pounded in order that it comes out tender. Right here’s what to do to butterfly a hen breast and pound it earlier than cooking:
Serving concepts to make it a meal
In French bistros, hen paillard is commonly served with an arugula salad, because it provides a pleasant recent counterpoint to the savory hen. Listed below are a few of our favourite easy methods to serve it:
Storage and reheating tips
Leftover hen paillard shops nicely refrigerated for as much as three days. For reheating, I choose the stovetop: heat the hen gently in a coated skillet over low warmth with with the sauce. This maintains the feel higher than microwaving, which might make the hen robust.
Dietary notes
This hen paillard recipe is gluten-free. For dairy-free, use olive oil or vegan butter.
Regularly requested questions
The hen is cooked when it reaches an inner temperature of 165°F. It’s also possible to examine if it’s cooked by by making a small lower within the thickest a part of the hen and making certain it’s now not pink.
Completely! A easy pan sauce with lemon, butter, and herbs is a traditional pairing. It’s also possible to get inventive with different sauces, resembling a creamy mushroom sauce or a tomato-based sauce.
It’s greatest to cook dinner hen paillard simply earlier than serving for optimum texture and taste. Nonetheless, you possibly can pound the hen breasts forward of time and retailer them within the fridge till able to cook dinner. Leftovers retailer refrigerated as much as 3 days.
Rooster Paillard
It’s surprisingly easy to make hen paillard that tastes prefer it’s straight out of a French bistro! It comes out tender and bathed in a tangy pan sauce—an ideal dish for simple weeknight dinners or impressing mates. Everybody all the time needs seconds!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: quarter-hour
- Whole Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Principal dish
- Methodology: Stovetop
- Delicacies: French
- Eating regimen: Gluten Free
- 2 boneless skinless hen breasts or 4 cutlets (1 to 1 ½ kilos, natural if doable)*
- 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced (or 3 tablespoons minced yellow onion)
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon stone floor mustard (or Dijon mustard)
- ½ cup dry white wine or hen inventory
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (or olive oil or vegan butter)
- Finely chopped recent parsley, for garnish (elective)
- Pat the hen dry with a paper towel. If utilizing breasts, slice them in half horizontally (in the event you purchased cutlets, skip this step). If desired, place the hen cutlets between two items of plastic wrap and place them on a chopping board. Utilizing a mallet or heavy skillet, pound them to an excellent 1/4” thickness.
- Sprinkle the hen on all sides with the kosher salt (utilizing as much as 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt in case you have 1 ½ kilos hen) and black pepper.
- Add the olive oil to a big skillet and warmth over medium warmth. Add the hen and cook dinner for 3 to five minutes per aspect, till browned on either side. When the interior temperature is 165°F, or the middle is now not pink, take away to a platter.
- In the identical skillet, cut back the warmth to low and add the minced garlic and shallot. Prepare dinner for about 1 minute, till the garlic is aromatic, then stir within the apple cider vinegar, mustard, and white wine (or hen inventory). Deliver to a boil, scraping up the brown bits from the pan for additional taste.
- Cut back to a simmer, then add the butter. Simmer till thickened barely, about 2 minutes.
- Serve heat, drizzling the sauce over the hen. If desired, sprinkle with chopped parsley to garnish. Leftovers retailer as much as 3 days refrigerated.
My favourite hen dinners
This hen paillard recipe is one other star in our favourite hen dinner concepts.
Strive our pan seared hen with herbs, tarragon hen for one more French-inspired dinner, or hen piccata for Italian aptitude.
My air fryer hen breast is a fast household favourite! These baked hen thighs, grilled hen thighs or grilled hen breast recipes are different repeats I’ve made dozens of occasions.
Whenever you need one thing totally different, a hen Caesar wrap makes wonderful lunches, and each me and my youngsters love these selfmade hen nuggets.