Chicken Paillard With Black Olive Tapenade Recipe (2024)

I have made tapenade more times than I can count - this recipe is just as good, more nuanced and way less salty and thus more ‘olivey’ if you delete the anchovies- also for extra depth - especially when combined with chicken- add a couple sundried tomatoes that have been soaked in olive oil and as well a juice of a half lemon.

I do not cut breasts in half. I do pound them to probably 5/8 of an inch uniform thickness. I do not fry them on top of the stove, I go straight to the oven. I bake uncovered at 360 degrees (350 in my convection) for 50 minutes. Neither dry nor undercooked.

Skip the plastic bags and use a folded piece of parchment paper to pound the paillard

Chef, I love your work, but this is 2019 and high quality digital thermometers that give a precise reading in 5 seconds or less cost under $30. In their Feb 2014 cover story Consumer Reports tested 300 chicken breasts and found 90% to be contain pathogenic bacteria, half of which were antibiotic resistant. Here's the link https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/02/index.htmCook with a thermometer not a clock.

This was, in fact, quite moist for a skinless, fatless chicken breast. The little rosemary and lemon marinade was quite nice, not overpowering. Hint of orange zest in the tapenade was lovely. Obviously you'll want to prep the chicken first and THEN make the tapenade while the chicken marinates. Everything else is optional.

This is incredible. Good way to do chicken without over cooking. And possibly the best tapenade I’ve ever made! Great.

Best way to have thin chicken breasts: put in freezer for 15 minutes then slice horizontally. Freezing makes the slicing very easy and quick. No pounding needed as it often breaks the flesh.

For a quicker meal with less clean up - use your favorite store bought tapenade! I also pound out chicken breasts, don't cut them.

This is a very nice dish. I have no brilliant suggestions on how to change it.

This is an exceptional recipe, came out juice and paired so well with the arugula...I did add some lemon juice to the greens and kept the chicken in the cast iron skillet that I browned it in, but otherwise, prepared as directed...(one other modification, I forgot to get the Nicoise olives and used the Kalamata I had on hand)...great dish...

I needed to feed 8 and spring has sprung here so I opted to grill briefly over medium flame instead of frying multiple batches. Finished in the oven as directed. Worked beautifully, although I suspect that the results of following the recipe as written are even better. The tapenade is lovely and compliments. Will make this again.

Two words: Sous Vide

Instead of just plain arugula, add fennel and orange slices. Toss with balsamic vinaigrette. Normally I add Kalamata olives but with the tapenade, don’t need. Classic Italian salad that is perfect with the chicken.

Costco, though quantity is large!

Good recipe. I used thighs and breasts. Thighs are good. Keeps moisture.

Delicious

Woah! Salty! Rinse the olives thoroughly. 3 garlic cloves are too much for my taste. I had to toss the tapenade out. 😕

Please note that this recipe requires a baguette or similar bread for the tapenade. I didn’t realize it until the last sentence as it’s not on the ingredient list.

Pick something else. Just ok. I used breast’s and thought it dry. Tapenade was good.

I happened to have some buttermilk in the fridge, so I marinated the butterflied, pounded chicken in 2 cups of it (plus 3ish teaspoons of salt) for about 3 hours. I then followed Tanis's cooking instructions to the letter, and the chicken was perfect!

Two questions: 1) does simply resting thyme sprigs and lemon zest on the chicken really add that much flavor? 2) What happens to the thyme sprigs and lemon zest when the chicken goes in the pan? Surely they need to be removed, yet the recipe makes it sound like they're still on the chicken when it is taken out of the oven. In any case, this is good, regardless of how you handle the "marinade."

Add toasted pinenuts and rehydrated raisins to the arugula or Zen mix

Fabulous. Even kids were licking the plate. Thank you!

This is one of the only nytimes recipes I’ve ever made that was tasteless. I followed the recipe to a T! The tapenade was good. But the chicken was without any flavor whatsoever. My family barely touched it. It will be cut up for chicken salad tomorrow and I’ll find some use for the tapenade. What a disappointment. Thank goodness I didn’t make it for company.

This really is a great little dinner! Tapenade delicious with the orange zest, chicken cooked just right following directions. Doubled the arugula, shaved some fennel as someone suggested, served with some leftover grains dressed in lemon and olive oil. Can use leftover tapenade tonight with some warm goat cheese on a salad.

I’ve made this a few times now. I love the tapenade recipe with the orange/lemon zest, sans anchovy. And I made a few minor adjustments. I use a mix of arugula, radicchio and endive or frisée for the salad. I don’t bother with the oven, sauté in a cast iron reducing heat to finish. Then After removing the breasts, I add white wine, a touch of lemon juice to the pan and reduce, pouring over the chicken and salad just before serving.

What an easy and delicious recipe! The chicken was moist, which is rare. We used store bought tapenade instead of making our own, but it was still wonderful. Highly recommend.

Excellent: quite a bit of full flavor.Suggest 2 rather than 4 anchovies and 1/4 rather than 1/2 cup evoo for the tapenade.I don't think it's necessary to butterfly the chicken.

I wasn't sure I would like this, but what a delight! I thought the tapenade would overpower the chicken, but the lemon thyme flavor of the chicken marinade came through and the whole thing worked together beautifully. Super yummy. I left out the capers, otherwise followed it to a T (for tapenade!) I even served it with arugula, though not exactly wild. "Wild?" Really David?

Awesome recipe. Followed as given in recipe. Great as leftovers. Served with egg noodles the 3rd go around. Couldn't find Nicoise olives, substituted Kalmata olives and rinsed them to climate the saltiness. This is a keeper.