Pizzette-Style Chicken Paillard
Ingredients
- 4 6- to 8-ounce pieces chicken breast, butterflied then pounded very thin (1/8- to 1/4-inch thick)
- Olive oil, for drizzling plus 1 tablespoon
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- A fat handful basil leaves
- 1 pound ball fresh mozzarella, very thinly sliced or shredded on fat toothed box grater
- Arugula or baby kale, for garnish
- Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
Preparation
Drizzle chicken with oil in a shallow dish and season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and onion, fennel, red pepper and thyme. Marinade a few minutes and preheat a large griddle pan or grill pan over medium-high heat.
Preheat broiler.
Heat a skillet with a lid over medium-high heat with a tablespoon of olive oil, a turn of the pan. Add sliced garlic and stir a minute; add tomatoes and season with salt. Cover pan to trap heat and cook to soften 8-10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Add basil to sauce and stir to wilt.
Grill or griddle-cook chicken a few minutes on each side then transfer to baking sheets. Top chicken as if it were a small pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Broil to brown and melt cheese then top with arugula or baby kale and Parm to serve.