Pecan Crusted Chicken

I LOVE this Pecan Crusted Chicken for a super flavorful, super quick weeknight dinner. It comes together in minutes and has so much flavor!

I can have this recipe on the dinner table in about 30 minutes when I am super motivated to get dinner out quickly. It is so tasty and just makes chicken...not blah! It has a little spice, it's deliciously nutty, and a little salty. It's just GOOD!

Ingredients

I start with chicken breasts, this is because I usually have some on hand that I can whip out for this recipe. You could also start with chicken tenders if you are buying specifically for this recipe. And when it comes to the pretzels, you can honestly use ANY kind, even the stale ones you find in the back of the pantry. They will crisp right back up when you cook the chicken and no one will ever know.

Beyond that, the remaining ingredients are mostly spices and herbs. This is a super simple pantry staple recipe that uses things I typically always have on hand. I love recipes like this that look like I am showing off and its really just stuff I already had.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Method

If you start with chicken breasts, I suggest you pound them out so they are the same thickness throughout. This helps ensure quick cooking of the tenders, as well as makes the chicken more enjoyable to eat. You could also start with just chicken tenders if you like, or even bread the whole breasts if you prefer not to cut them up.

I then blend together the flour and seasonings and dust it on both sides of the chicken, this is my lazy "dredge" of the chicken, making the breading process only 2 steps vs. 3.

Then whip up the eggs and crush the pecans and pretzels into little pieces. I then throw them in shallow bowls and get to breading. A quick wash through the egg, then press the pecan/pretzel mixture on and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes on each side and that is it, dinner is ready to hit the table. I sometimes whip up some mashed potatoes to serve with them, but usually just have a salad on the side to make it a quick and simple dinner.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: about 2 pounds

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

I LOVE this Pecan Crusted Chicken for a super flavorful, super quick weeknight dinner. It comes together in minutes and has so much flavor!

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Ingredients

for the chicken:

• 2 pounds Chicken Breasts, tenderized
• ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Morton’s
• ½ teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sweet Smoked Paprika
• 1 ½ cups Pecan Halves
• ½ cup small Pretzels
• 2 large Eggs
• Honey, for drizzling
• Parsley, for garnish - optional

honey mustard dipping sauce:

• 1 cup full-fat Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1 ½ tablespoons Creole Mustard
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, Morton’s
• 1-2 pinch’s Cayenne Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Tenderize the chicken breasts by pounding them flat to an even thickness and cutting each into 2-3 strips depending on their size.
3. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a small bowl and dust each piece of chicken with the mixture.
4. In the cup of a mini food processor, pulse the pecan halves until they form crumbs, with some larger pieces remaining. Place them in a shallow bowl or pan.
5. Do the same with the pretzels, chopping them till they are fairly small with some chunkier pieces remaining.
6. Add the crushed pretzels to the pecans.
7. Whisk the 2 eggs until well combined in another shallow bowl.
8. Dip the seasoned chicken through the egg, then into the pecan/pretzel mixture, pressing it on till each piece is well coated.
9. Place the chicken strips onto the prepared baking sheet.
10. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then turn each piece over and continue baking until the outside is crisp and the centers are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer should read 165˚ or more in the thickest part of the chicken when it is done.
11. When the chicken comes out of the oven, drizzle a little honey over each piece and garnish with parsley.
12. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce on the side.

Notes

Notes & Tips

For the most tender juicy chicken, start by tenderizing it between two sheets of plastic wrap. This is if you are using chicken breasts or even thighs. No need to tenderize if you start with chicken tenders.

You can cut chicken breasts into tenders as you see I have done in my images, you can also leave the chicken breasts whole if you like. I would still tenderize them.

When crusting the chicken, really press the pecan/pretzel mixture on. It will stick really well, you just kind of have to press it in a little.

Substitutions

I typically have some chicken breasts or tenders in the fridge or freezer so that is what I use. You could also start with chicken tenders or even cut up thighs into nugget sizes.

If you need to keep this recipe gluten-free, drop the flour and use cornstarch. Also use a gluten-free pretzel, there are many great options for those on the market.

I like to use sweet smoked paprika, it really boosts the flavor of everything. If you like a little more heat you can use hot paprika or a dash of cayenne too.

I like to drizzle some honey on the chicken the moment it comes out of the oven. This is also a great opportunity to use some hot honey or even some chili onion crunch if you like things a little spicy.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Norpro Meat Pounder
• 
  Rösle Stainless Steel 12-inch Lock and Release Tongs
• 
  SMARTAKE 200 Pcs Parchment Paper Baking Sheets, 12x16 Inches Non-Stick Precut Baking Parchment, Perfect for Baking Grilling Air Fryer Steaming Bread Cup Cake Cookie and More (Unbleached)
• 
  Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (3 Pack)
• 
  Ludwig Scandinavian-Type Whipper Small Whisk Mixer (Mini Whipper) 100% Made in the USA
• 
  GLOCHYRA - Breading Tray Set of 3 - Stainless Steel Breading Pan for Marinating Meat, Prepping Bread Crumbs Coating tray for Chicken, Fish, Panko, Schnitzel - Comes with Locking kitchen Tong

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 574Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 724mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 40g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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