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This Grilled Chicken Paillard with California Grapes and Arugula Salad is easy, healthy and bursting with flavour. The chicken is pounded thin, marinated in plenty of garlic, herbs and citrus and grilled to perfection. Serve it with a refreshing, peppery and unexpectedly juicy California Grapes and Arugula Salad drizzled with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.
Ingredients You Need for the Grilled Chicken Paillard
- Chicken Breast: I’m generally not a fan of boneless and skinless chicken thighs, but they’re fantastic in this recipe. They soak up the herby and garlicky marinade and cook super quickly. They’re also delicious cold, making them a great protein option for meal prep and make-ahead lunches. If you prefer a fattier and juicier finished product, substitute chicken thighs.
- Fresh Herbs: I like to use a combination of fresh rosemary, parsley and oregano in the grilled chicken paillard marinade. Each herb brings a different flavour to the chicken and work well together. For the best flavour, use fresh herbs, but if you have to substitute dried, be sure to use only half of the amount called for in the recipe.
- Lemon Juice: For best results, use freshly-squeezed lemon juice. It will have much more flavour and aroma than anything that comes in a bottle.
- Garlic: As always, measure this ingredient with your heart and don’t let anyone tell you there’s such a thing as too much.
- Olive Oil: Because chicken breast is so lean, you need some fat to help it get some char on the grill. I like to use olive oil because it imparts flavour and colour, but you can substitute avocado oil for something with a neutral taste and colour.
- Salt and Pepper: Because the marinade is packed with herbs and garlic, you really don’t need anything more than salt and pepper when it comes to seasonings. However, if you want to experiment with other spices, such as paprika or cayenne for some heat, I won’t stop you!
Ingredients You Need for the California Grapes and Arugula Salad
- California Grapes: Adding a handful of sliced California Grapes to the salad will give it an unexpected juiciness, sweetness and crunch that balances the bitter and sour flavours of the arugula and apple cider vinaigrette.
- Arugula: This bitter green is the perfect pair for the grilled chicken paillard. It’s peppery, bright, and a little spicy. If you’re not a fan of arugula, you can substitute your favourite greens, such as kale, lettuce, spring mix, or a combination of fancier things like radicchio, endive, watercress or frisée.
- Shallot: Slice the shallot very thin and soak it in ice water before adding it to the salad. This will mellow out the harsh flavours and also make the shallot slices more crisp.
- Pecorino Romano: I love to add a bit of thinly shaved pecorino Romano cheese to the grape and arugula salad. It’s salty, a little funky and creamy. If you can’t find pecorino, you can substitute other hard ripened cheeses like parmigiano reggiano, grana padano or even ricotta salata.
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette: You probably already have most of the ingredients to make a quick and easy apple cider vinaigrette to go over the salad and grilled chicken paillard. All you need is some apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, grainy mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. I like my vinaigrettes on the acidic side so I typically use a ratio of 2 parts oil to 1 part acid. If you like it less acidic, use 3 parts oil to 1 part acid.
What is Chicken Paillard?
The term “paillard” refers to the culinary technique of flattening meat or pounding it thin before cooking. Typically, chicken paillard calls for using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, although chicken thighs can also be used. The chicken can be seasoned or marinated in a variety of ways and it can be grilled or pan-seared. This method typically results in a more tender and evenly cooked finished product. Flattening the chicken also helps it to cook quicker.
Can You Cook The Chicken Without a Grill?
You can either grill the chicken paillard or cook it in a frying pan. Because the chicken is pounded very thin, it does not take a long time to cook and can be finished entirely in the pan without needing to transfer it to the oven. You can also air-fry the chicken breast at 400F for around 8 minutes, flipping halfway. The cooking time will vary depending on the strength of your air fryer and how thin you pounded the chicken breasts.
Looking for More Ways to Enjoy Grapes?
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with California Grapes and Bacon
- Harvest Steak Salad with California Grapes
- Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with California Grapes and Sweet Potatoes
- Whipped Ricotta and Roasted Grapes Crostini
- Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad with California Grapes and Grilled Chicken
- Easy Waldorf Salad Recipe with Chicken and California Grapes
This recipe was created in partnership with the California Table Grape Commission. All opinions expressed here are the author’s alone.
Grilled Chicken Paillard with California Grapes and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
For the Grilled Chicken Paillard:
- 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthwise and pounded 1/8”-thin
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, substitute ½ teaspoon dry
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the California Grapes and Arugula Salad:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 8 ounces arugula
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 cup red grapes, sliced in half
- 2 ounces thinly shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, substitute Parmigiano Reggiano
Instructions
For the Grilled Chicken Paillard:
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss everything to coat, cover and refrigerate 1 to 6 hours.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Transfer the chicken to the grill and cook until grill marks form, around 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until grill marks form and the thickest part of the chicken breast registers 160F. Transfer the chicken to a tray, tent with foil and let the residual heat bring the chicken to 165F.
- Serve the chicken alongside the California Grapes and Arugula Salad.
For the California Grapes and Arugula Salad:
- In a mason jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste the vinaigrette for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
- In a large bowl, combine the arugula, shallot, grapes and pecorino cheese. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette overtop and toss gently to coat.
- Serve the salad with the grilled chicken and drizzle with some more of the vinaigrette to taste.
Video
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
Beautiful food and your love and passion bleeds through
Thank you
Love this dish! Can’t wait to make it. This is the way I love to cook. Easy, delicious, and healthy!
This was FANTASTIC! Will be on our regular rotation!
Great recipe, really enjoyed it. I like how I could prep most of it ahead of time, thanks!
Looks delicious & light.Trying this today. Thanks
I made this using the 2X selection. In the marinade I didn’t have enough fresh garlic so I used Christopher Ranch minced garlic. I used 1 rounded tablespoon of fresh rosemary instead of 2 because I’m not a huge fan of rosemary. In the dressing I didn’t have whole-grain mustard so I subbed in Dijon. I subbed red onion for shallots, I had to use the jar garlic again, and I had mixed greens on hand with arugula not straight arugula. Other than those adjustments I made the recipe pretty straight up. It turned out great! The family loved it, especially the salad. While it’s not written here, I saw the IG where the onion was soaked in ice water. That’s such an awesome trick for toning down powerful onion flavor. I will make this recipe again.
I can’t wait to make this recipe. Looks so yummy! Thank you!!!🙏
Very easy to make. So delicious and flavorful!!