Fried Chicken Paillard with Caesar Slaw
Crispy fried chicken paired with creamy coleslaw makes a satisfying meal for summer gatherings or any time of the year. Here we pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly to create paillards that fry up in minutes—and boast lots of surface area for that irresistible crunchy coating. To give traditional cabbage slaw a flavor boost, we also add in kale and toss everything with a lemony Caesar dressing, then top with thinly sliced radishes. If you swap out the chicken breasts for boneless thighs, they don’t need to be butterflied—just pound them thinly.
Ingredients:
For the Caesar dressing:
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 whole egg plus 2 egg yolks
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
For the slaw:
- 1/2 green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 4 cups/12 oz./375 g)
- 1/2 red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 4 cups/12 oz./375 g)
- 1 bunch dinosaur (lacinato) kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- 1 small bunch radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced on a mandoline
For the fried chicken:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 oz. (185 g) each, butterflied, pounded 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and cut in half down the middle, or 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, pounded 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 cups (3 oz./90 g) panko
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) vegetable oil
Lemon wedges for serving
Directions:
To prepare the dressing, in a blender or food processor, combine the anchovies, garlic, whole egg and egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, mustard and a splash of water and blend on high speed until combined. With the blender running, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and blend until thickened. Add the olive oil, Parmesan, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper, to taste, and blend until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
To prepare the slaw, in a large bowl, combine both cabbages and the kale. Drizzle in 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the dressing and season with a bit of salt, if needed. Place the radishes in a small bowl and cover with cold water to keep them crisp. Set aside.
To prepare the chicken, season the chicken lightly with salt. Set up a dredging station: In a wide, shallow bowl or on a large plate, stir together the flour, a pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. In another wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, mustard, garlic powder and a pinch each of salt and pepper. In a third wide, shallow bowl, stir together the panko and Parmesan.
Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg mixture. Finally, dredge in the panko mixture, making sure to coat the entire piece of chicken. Place on the wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Line a plate with paper towels. In a wide fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil until hot. To test, drop a couple of pieces of panko into the oil; if the panko immediately begins to sizzle and brown, the oil is ready. Fry the chicken, 2 pieces at a time so as to not overcrowd the pan, until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to the prepared plate, sprinkle with salt and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat to fry the remaining 2 pieces of chicken.
To serve, drain the radishes and pat dry with paper towels. Spoon some of the remaining dressing onto individual plates. Top with the chicken, slaw, Parmesan, radishes and a few generous grindings of pepper. Serve lemon wedges on the side. Serves 2 to 4.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen
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