Chicken Paillard

This recipe is inspired by the Intellectual dimension of wellness.

Intellectual wellness is about learning and maximizing your cognitive abilities. The learning process includes five basic steps: readiness, stimulus, discovery, response, and application. Intellectual wellness depends on a daily habit of feeding your brain with material that expands your knowledge and world view in addition to challenging and engaging your higher level thinking skills.

“Cooking is a language that expresses harmony, creativity, happiness, beauty, poetry, complexity, magic, humor, provocation." - Ferran Adria

When your plating is artistic, people tend to enjoy the food more, which is why I not only love to cook but also enjoy the art of plating. I have found that color and balance are two important factors that contribute to the visual appeal of the food on your plate. The more balanced the plate is, the greater the aesthetic appeal. Likewise, when your family sees the amount of effort you put into the presentation of your meal, there is a clear impact on your dining experience. Even a simple garnish can be a game changer when feeding a finicky crowd. Expensive looking plating of food boosts perceived quality, so have fun with your plating by using colorful ingredients!

Recipe of the Day: Chicken Paillard

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, about 5 ounces per serving

• 1/3 cup dry red wine

• Canola oil

• Kosher salt

• Arugula

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Pickled red onions

• Marcona almonds

• Balsamic vinegar

• Tomatoes, peeled, cored, and diced

• 1 shallot, minced

• Olive oil

• Maldon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pound chicken breasts on a work surface using a meat tenderizer or heavy pan to 1/4-inch thick. Whisk wine, juice of 1 lemon, shallot, 2 tsp olive oil, and garlic together in a shallow bowl. Add chicken breasts; marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Whisk juice of 1 lemon, vinegar, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and lemon zest together in a large bowl; stir in 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Add arugula and tomatoes; toss to combine.

3. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate, or heat a skillet over high heat.

4. Remove chicken from marinade; season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

5. Cook chicken on preheated grill until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

6. Plate chicken with arugula salad on top, pickled onions, and marcona almonds.