Chicken with a Thousand Fries is buttery pan-fried chicken cutlets (also known as chicken paillard) served over a generous pile—go ahead and count them to 1,000 if you want 😜—of crispy shoestring fries. The chicken is thin, golden, and topped with caramelized lemon slices for a burst of flavor. It’s an easy comfort-food meal that feels a little fancy but comes together quickly on the stovetop! If you are into the lemony, buttery vibe of this chicken, you will want to check out my Chicken Piccata next!
Why Is It Called Chicken With A Thousand Fries?
The name Chicken with a Thousand Fries comes from a playful TikTok by @nourishandvibe, who used it to describe this dish. It’s a bit of an exaggeration (or is it? 😜) referring to the mountain of crispy shoestring fries piled beneath the buttery, pan-seared chicken paillard. It is totally up to you if you want to take the name literally! If so, you better get to making the fries!
What Is Chicken Paillard?
Chicken paillard is a cooking method where a thin piece of chicken breast is pounded flat. This helps the chicken cook quickly and stay juicy. It is usually cooked in a pan with butter or oil until golden brown. It is perfect for quick, tasty meals because it cooks fast and stays tender.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Potatoes: I used russet potatoes, julienned into thin shoestrings, for the crispiest texture. After slicing, soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold (or ice) water for 20-30 minutes. This step helps remove excess starch, which is key to achieving ultra-crispy fries. Russets work best for shoestring fries thanks to their high starch content, but you can also experiment with other types of potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes for a slightly different flavor and texture.
- Chicken: Start with two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Pound them to about 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. This technique is called chicken paillard, a French method for quickly cooking thin, tender chicken cutlets in a skillet.
- Chicken Breading: The chicken breading is a simple mix of plain breadcrumbs, polenta (or fine cornmeal), garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. It sticks to the chicken cutlets and crisps up beautifully in the skillet, adding flavor and crunch. I like to use a sheet pan for breading the chicken; it gives you more space and makes it easier to coat each cutlet evenly.
- Butter: The butter adds rich flavor and helps crisp up the breaded chicken cutlets as they cook, while also browning the lemon slices to create a quick, flavorful pan sauce.
- Lemon: The lemon adds a bright, fresh flavor that cuts through the richness of the butter and chicken, making the dish taste lighter and more delicious.
How to Julienne a Potato For Shoestring Fries
To julienne a potato, start by washing and drying it. Cut off the rounded sides to make a flat, rectangular shape. Slice the potato into thin sheets about 1/8 inch thick, then stack the slices and cut them into thin matchstick strips. This cutting method works great for shoestring fries like these (and my Baked Parmesan Rosemary Shoestring Fries), potato salads, and gratins. For even, uniform strips, you can also use a mandoline slicer or a julienne peeler.
How To Keep Shoestring Fries Crispy After Frying
After frying the shoestring fries, drain them well on paper towels to remove extra oil. While you cook the chicken, spread the fries out on a baking sheet in a single layer and keep them warm in a low oven (around 200°F). This stops steam from making them soggy and keeps them crispy and fresh until you’re ready to serve.
What To Serve With Chicken with a Thousand Fries
Even though this dish is a meal on its own, here are a few simple sides and sauces (for dipping the fries!) that pair perfectly:
- Wedge Salad
- Cucumber Salad
- Roasted Asparagus or Roasted Green Beans
- Coleslaw
- Dipping Sauces: I like Aioli, Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce, homemade Ranch dressing, and Easy Fry Sauce, just to name a few.
How To Store Chicken
To store Chicken with a Thousand Fries, let everything cool completely first. Store the chicken and fries in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat the chicken in a skillet or oven. Warm the fries in the oven or air fryer to bring back their crispiness.
Chicken With A Thousand Fries
Ingredients
Shoestring Fries
- 4 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into thin shoestrings
- vegetable oil, for frying
- kosher salt, to taste
Chicken
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¼-inch thickness
- ½ cup (54 g) plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (42 g) polenta, or fine cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup (1 stick / 57 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium lemon, sliced into thin rounds, divided
- parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
Shoestring Fries
- Soak the shoestring potatoes in cold water for 20-30 minutes. Drain the water and pat them dry with paper towels.
- Fill a large pot or Dutch oven with 2-3 inches of vegetable oil. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F, checking the temperature with a thermometer. (See Notes for Air Fryer Instructions.*)
- Working in batches, fry the shoestring potatoes for 2–3 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with kosher salt. Before frying each batch, check that the oil temperature is at 350°F. (Tip: Keep fries warm in a low oven, around 200°F, while you cook the rest.)
Chicken
- In a large shallow bowl (or using a sheet pan), combine the breadcrumbs, polenta, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Coat each piece in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to help it stick.
- In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add one breaded chicken breast and cook for 2–3 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
- In the last minute of cooking, add half the lemon slices and another 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet. Let the butter brown slightly and the lemons caramelize.
- Pile half of the fries onto a serving plate. Top with the cooked chicken. Spoon over some of the browned butter and caramelized lemon slices.
- Repeat the cooking process with the second chicken breast, using the remaining butter and lemon slices. Serve with the rest of the fries.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
- Soak the julienned potatoes in cold water for 20–30 minutes, then drain and pat them dry.
- Toss the dried potato strips with a light coating of vegetable oil to help them crisp up.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
- Place the potato strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket. (Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches.)
- Air fry for about 15 minutes, shaking or flipping the fries halfway through cooking for even crispiness.
- When fries are golden and crispy, remove them and season immediately with kosher salt.
- Serve hot with your chicken paillard.
Did you make this recipe?
You can tag me at @iamhomesteader.
What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
Crispy fries and tender chicken? Yes, please! This is a total winner of a dish!
Elizabeth
Excuse me while I eat all of the fries (I LOVED them!). What a neat serving idea for chicken!
Annabelle
This is a quick way to cook chicken, and it tasted great! And, you can't go wrong with a bed of fries.
Stephanie
The chicken was juicy and cooked just right. It feels fancy, but it comes together fast.
Bella
I really like the lemon butter sauce! The whole dish was full of flavor.
