Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Paillards

Slightly sweet, tangy, and spicy all at once, the easy sauce doubles the flavor of quick-cooking thin-sliced chicken breasts. Gourmet, Quick Kitchen, February 2006.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup  orange juice
• 1  tablespoon  mild honey
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 (3 inch)  cinnamon sticks
• 1⁄4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter

• Paillards

• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika (not hot)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 3⁄4 lbs boneless chicken breasts, slices 1/4 inch thick
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt

Directions

1. Cooks' note:.
2. Some sliced chicken breasts may not be of an even thickness. If necessary, put each paillard between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with flat side of a meat pounder until about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Special equipment:
4. A well-seasoned large (2-burner) ridged grill.
5. Prepare grill pan and start sauce:.
6. Heat grill pan over moderate heat until hot.
7. Meanwhile, simmer all sauce ingredients except butter in a 1-quart saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Set aside while cooking chicken.
8. Make paillards:.
9. Cook cumin, paprika, and pepper in oil in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, reserving skillet for sauce (do not clean).
10. Brush some spiced oil on 1 side of each paillard, then sprinkle with some salt. Arrange 2 paillards on grill, oiled sides down, and brush tops with some of spiced oil, then sprinkle with some salt.
11. Grill 2 minutes, then turn over and grill until just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
12. Transfer to a platter and cover with foil. Grill remaining paillards in same manner, transferring to platter.
13. Finish sauce:.
14. Pour sauce through a medium-mesh sieve into reserved small skillet, discarding solids. Add any juices from chicken accumulated on platter to sauce and bring to a boil.
15. Remove from heat, then add butter and swirl skillet until butter is just incorporated. Season sauce with salt and spoon over chicken.