Chicken Paillard, Brown Butter, Lemon & Capers

Check in at Bistro Ralph for lunch on any Wednesday and you will likely find Dawn enjoying the Chicken Paillard, one of her favorites whenever she visits Chef Ralph Tingle's fabulous upscale bistro located in the heart of Healdsburg.

Ingredients

  • Salt and Pepper  ·   
  • Capers, drained  ·  1 tablespoon 
  • Panko or fine fresh breadcrumbs  ·  1 1/2 cup 
  • Parmesan cheese, grated  ·  1/3 cup 
  • Fresh lemon juice  ·  2 tablespoons 
  • Unsalted butter  ·  6 tablespoons 
  • x 6oz boneless skinless chicken breast halves, tenderloins removed  ·  4 

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and, using a wooden mallet, flatten them out to less than one-half inch thick.

Line a baking sheet or pan with waxed-paper. Then in a separate large shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan and stir in one-half teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Brush the melted butter mixture on one side of a chicken breast and place, butter side down, in the crumbs. Make sure you press it down firmly to ensure the breadcrumb and cheese completely coats the side of breast. Now brush the top of the same breast with butter; turn over and coat that side with crumb mix. Place the breast on the waxed-paper lined baking pan and repeat this process with the remaining breasts.

The next step requires using two large non-stick sauté pans. Melt 1 tablespoons butter until foamy and then place 2 chicken breasts in each pan and cook over medium heat for six or seven minutes. Resist turning to see if it’s cooking, only turn once and allow the second side to cook until the outside is golden brown and the chicken breast is cooked through. If the crust is browning too quickly or burning turn the heat down while still cooking.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter and clean one of the sauté pans, then melt the remaining butter and cook over medium heat until it looks a light gold color and has a toasty smell. Now then stir in the lemon juice and capers and cook for an extra 30 seconds.

Pour over chicken and serve with shoestring fries, fresh green beans or boiled potato accompanied by Williamson Pinot Noir

Passion Pinot Noir

Passion Pinot Noir

Passion is a single-vineyard, single-clone, single-varietal Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley.