Hello everyone! After a long and exhausting day on the mountain, it is sometimes nice to have a quick, early dinner and relax for the evening.  I just made this recipe and don’t think it took me longer than twenty minutes.  It is quick, delicious and filling, which will make relaxing in the hot tub that much easier!  Pair with a dry Chardonnay or if you are daring, a crisp, Rosé to complete this dish! – Chef Angelee.

Paillard of Chicken served with a Sauté of Spinach, Grape Tomatoes and finished with a Dijon Cream (Serves 2)

Paillard of Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts, *pounded thinly* between 2 pieces of Saran Wrap

1T Unsalted Butter, melted

¾ c Bread Crumbs

1tsp. Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

2.5T Vegetable Oil

Dijon Cream

1 c Heavy Cream (If you do not wish to use heavy cream, substitute chicken broth)

1.5T Dijon Mustard

½ t Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sauté of Spinach and Grape Tomatoes

1.5T Unsalted Butter

14 Whole Grape Tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

½-1 lb. Fresh Spinach (I only had a 1/2 lb. which is why I used that amount…you can add more if you wish)

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large Ziploc bag, mix the bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper (to taste).  In another Ziploc bag, add the melted butter and then add the chicken to coat.  Put the coated chicken into breadcrumb mixture and press to coat.  (Let the coated chicken rest for a few minutes on a plate while the oil is heating.)  Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the vegetable oil.  Once it is hot, (but not too hot because the breadcrumbs will burn), add the paillards.  Once they begin to brown around the edges and they begin to ‘curl up’, turn and continue to cook.  Cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.  (I like to salt breaded foods when I turn them because the salt is best absorbed then.) Remove from pan and put on a rack over a plate or cookie sheet to rest.  Wipe out the pan leaving a tablespoon of browned bits.

Add the cream and garlic powder to chicken pan.  Reduce heat to low to begin reducing the liquid.  Once it nicely coats the back of a spoon, add the mustard.  Mix well and leave on warm until ready to serve.

Heat another sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the butter and the tomatoes.  Sauté the tomatoes until they just ‘pop’, then add the garlic and spinach.  Let the spinach barely wilt, add salt and pepper to taste and leave on warm until ready to serve.

Put the tomato and spinach sauté on a plate.  Add the paillards of chicken, coat with the Dijon cream.  Serve and enjoy!

*When pounding out chicken breasts it is best to turn over the breast, pounding the underside versus the top part of the breast.  You need not pound as hard and it will flatten much more easily.