Chicken Paillards with White Wine Veloute

This is beyond satisfying. I must remember to make this more often. It comes together in minutes if you have the velouté ready to go. I will be keeping velouté ready made in the freezer for easy gourmet meals.

A Paillard is a thinly sliced then pounded piece of meat. With the chicken breast I slice it in half horizontally, then pound it very thinly. It cooks in a few minutes and stays juicy tender.

To keep all the flavour, sauté the chicken first and then deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine. Use the same pan throughout.

Chicken Paillards with White Wine Sauce

1 chicken breast
1/4 c. chicken velouté
1/4 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. dry white wine
sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
canola oil

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add enough oil to lightly cover the bottom. Season the pounded chicken breast with sea salt and black pepper. Gently sauté until lightly browned on both sides. Don't turn it until the pan lets it go. When fully seared the pan will release the chicken and it will lift easily.

After browned on both sides and fully cooked, but not overcooked, remove the chicken to a serving plate.

Add wine to the pan and reduce to half. Add velouté and then the cream. Bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken paillards and serve immediately. Serves 1 or 2.


Chicken Velouté

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. homemade chicken stock

Melt butter. Stir in flour. Cook for a few minutes so there will be no raw flour flavour. Add hot stock and stir until completely mixed. Let simmer for about 45 minutes to develop flavour. Use immediately or freeze for future use.