Rosemary Chicken Paillards recipe

“Paillards” means that you’ve pounded the chicken breasts to make them tender and thin. They also cook quickly. My husband found the original recipe in Sunset magazine and we tweaked it a tad – it was terrific:

1  tsp each, salt and pepper

2   Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 ½ Tbsp. avocado oil

4   boneless, skinless chicken breasts

6  strips of cooked bacon, crumbled

½  cup finely chopped shallots

½  cup dried cranberries

½  cup Viognier or other fruity, dry white wine

8   oz arugula, ends trimmed
Preheat broiler with rack set 3 inches from heat. Combine salt and pepper and 2 Tbsp. of rosemary with the oil and rub it over the chicken breast, and some on a baking sheet.

Cook the bacon, save the fat in the pan.

Broil the chicken until just cooked through, turning once, about 8 minutes total. Remove from heat and cover with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook shallots in the bacon grease, about 6 minutes. Add dried cranberries and wine to pan, stirring occasionally for a couple of minutes until about 3 Tbsp of liquid is left. Stir in remaining ½ tsp. of rosemary, plus a bit more salt and pepper.

Remove from heat and add arugula and bacon. Toss very gently to coat. The arugula will get a bit warm, but you do not want to “cook” it.

Transfer salad to a platter and arrange chicken paillards on top.