Lebanese Organic Chicken Paillard Recipe

Prepare and Pound Chicken

Place each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap or in a large zip-top bag. Using a meat mallet or a heavy skillet, gently pound each breast to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch (paillard). This ensures quick, even cooking.

In a shallow dish or bowl, whisk together 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground sumac, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper to form the marinade.

Add the flattened chicken breasts to the marinade, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours. If short on time, marinate 20 minutes; longer develops more flavor but do not exceed 4 hours.

Remove chicken from refrigerator 10 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature.

If using fresh pita, tear into bite-size pieces and toast in a 375°F (190°C) oven on a baking sheet for 6–8 minutes until crisp and lightly golden. Alternatively, pan-toast pieces in a dry skillet until crisp. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine 6 cups chopped romaine, 1 cup diced cucumber, 2 diced tomatoes, 4 thinly sliced radishes, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup torn mint, and 3 sliced green onions.

Add cooled pita pieces and 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds to the salad bowl but wait to toss with dressing until just before serving so the pita stays crisp.

Whisk together 4 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp ground sumac, 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity or salt as needed.

Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Remove chicken from marinade and let excess drip off. Cook paillards in batches if necessary so they are not crowded.

Cook each flattened chicken breast 2–3 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until deeply golden and cooked through; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part should read 165°F (74°C). Avoid overcooking — thin paillards cook quickly.

Transfer cooked chicken to a cutting board and let rest 3–4 minutes. Slice each paillard on the diagonal into 3–4 strips for serving. Sprinkle a little extra sumac and a pinch of salt over the sliced chicken.

Give the fattoush salad a final toss with the sumac dressing so the greens and pita are evenly coated, then mound the salad on a platter or individual plates. Arrange sliced chicken over the salad, scatter additional pomegranate seeds if desired, and serve with lemon wedges alongside.