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Almond Crusted Chicken Paillard with Tomato Salad

Donatella Arpaia's Almond Crusted Chicken Paillard with Tomato Salad
Donatella Arpaia's Almond Crusted Chicken Paillard with Tomato Salad. TODAY, September 19 2016.Nathan R. Congleton / TODAY
Servings:
4-6
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(114)

Chef notes

Fresh and simple, this 5-ingredient almond-crusted chicken breasts with tomato salad is a fast and easy weeknight meal and is also elegant enough for entertaining.

Ingredients

Almond-Coated Chicken Breasts
  • 4 6-ounce boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2/3 cup sliced, unblanched almonds
  • 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Tomato Salad
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 20 cherry tomatoes, halved (red and/or yellow)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Preparation

1.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and place each breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, opening out the fillets. Pound gently with a mallet or rolling pin to an even thickness. Do not make them thinner than 3/8-inch. Season both sides with salt and pepper.

2.

Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped nuts with the panko breadcrumbs.

3.

In a shallow bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt. Dip each piece of chicken into the eggs, let the excess drip away, the press both sides of the chicken into the panko coating. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes until the crust sets.

4.

Meanwhile, make the tomato salad: Combine the tomatoes, scallions, olive oil, and lemon juice (optional) into a bowl.

5.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the chicken into the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, turning once until the crust sets and turns golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

6.

Cut the paillards in halves or thirds, arrange on a platter, and serve immediately with tomato salad spooned on top. Garnish with lemon wedges (optional).