Healthy and Delicious Chicken Paillard Salad

A classic French dish, this meal combines succulent chicken with healthy greens, creamy avocado, and crunchy slivered almonds—all topped off with a zesty lemon-garlic vinaigrette.

Not only is this recipe packed with healthy ingredients like lean protein, healthy fats, and fresh vegetables, but it also comes together in less than an hour. So if your kitchen shelves are stacked with fresh produce and you're feeling inspired to try something different from your standard salad routine, the Chicken Paillard Salad might be just the thing!

What is Chicken Paillard Salad?

Chicken Paillard Salad is a healthy and delicious recipe that anyone can enjoy. This healthy dish is made with thin slices of chicken breast coated in a light and flavorful marinade, then cooked over high heat. The cooked chicken is served over a bed of fresh salad greens, such as romaine lettuce, endives, arugula, and iceberg lettuce. Topped with herbs, diced tomatoes, parmesan cheese, olives, and an oil-and-vinegar dressing—this healthy dish will be sure to impress all your guests! So why not give this quick and healthy recipe a try at home?

This was inspired by my other recipe on this site, and pairs well with this amazing sidedish recipe.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5-7 minutes
Serves: 4

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• What is Chicken Paillard Salad?
• Ingredients needed to make Chicken Paillard Salad
• Instructions for making Chicken Paillard Salad
• Variations
• Storage
• Top tip
• Related
• Pairing
• Chicken Paillard Salad

Ingredients needed to make Chicken Paillard Salad

Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients:

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. white balsamic vinegar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
½ t. Italian seasoning
½ t. garlic powder
1 t. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey
Sea salt, to taste

Remaining Ingredients:

1¼ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 t. garlic powder
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 large organic lemon, sliced and cut in half, divided
6 c. fresh arugula
1-pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 T. fresh parsley, chopped
¼ c. shaved Parmesan cheese

Note: You can use any variety of cherry or grape tomatoes for the salad if the multi-colored mini-heirloom tomatoes shown here are unavailable.

Instructions for making Chicken Paillard Salad

1. Prepare the vinaigrette by combining all ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
    
2. Place the chicken on a large sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper spread out on a clean work surface. Cut the breasts in half horizontally (with the blade parallel to the counter) and arrange both halves on the plastic wrap or wax paper in a single layer.
   
3. Cover with a second sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound to ¼” thickness with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Remove the top cover and season on both sides with the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
   
4. Add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and most of the lemon slices, reserving 3 or 4 slices for garnish.
   
5. Cook until the chicken is golden brown on the bottom and releases easily from the skillet, approximately 3-4 minutes. Turn and cook on the remaining side for another 2-3 minutes, or just until the chicken is cooked through.
   
   Note: Squeeze the lemon slices with tongs while the chicken cooks to release the juice. 
   
   Remove from heat and discard the lemon rinds. Transfer the chicken to a large platter and place the reserved lemons in the skillet for approximately 30 seconds per side to warm up. Place the warm lemons on the platter with the chicken and set aside. 
   
6. Add the arugula, tomatoes, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese to a large bowl and drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette on top. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss to combine.
   
7. To serve, divide the salad between 4 serving bowls and top each with some of the chicken and warm lemon slices. Offer remaining dressing on the side while serving. Enjoy!

Variations

Trying something new in the kitchen can be daunting, but once you get the basics of a recipe down, variations are where the real fun begins! Chicken Paillard Salad has become a classic for any dinner party because of its delicious flavor and ease of preparation. To give your version some extra flair, try adding toasted almonds or peppers for crunch. Mix up the greens from arugula and baby spinach to variations such as kale and radicchio. Turn it into a rainbow salad by adding different colors to make your meal pop! Go crazy with ingredients like pomegranate seeds or quinoa that bring texture and nutrition as well! Every variation is sure to be a hit!

Storage

Storage can be tricky when it comes to Chicken Paillard Salad. Whether you just served up your favorite recipe or have leftovers that need to be stored, the storage time for this type of salad is relatively short. Generally, Chicken Paillard Salad needs to be consumed within two days after cooking and should not stay refrigerated any longer than four days. If you're looking to store it longer, it’s best to freeze the salad in an airtight container and thaw it overnight before consuming it.

Related

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Pairing

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