Pecan-Crusted Chicken

This recipe coats tender chicken breasts with a buttery pecans flavored with spicy chipotle and zesty orange. Serve with a spinach salad.

4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
• 1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
• 1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated organic orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, (see Note)
• 1 large eggwhite
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon expellar-pressed canola oil, divided

Preparation

1. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Place pecans, breadcrumbs, orange zest, salt and ground chipotle in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Whisk egg white and water in a shallow dish until combined. Dip each chicken breast in the egg-white mixture, then dredge both sides in the pecan mixture.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining oil. Cook the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

Tip: It can be hard to find individual chicken breasts small enough for our recommended 4-ounce (uncooked) portion size. If yours are closer to 5 ounces each, remove the tender (about 1 ounce) from the underside to get the correct portion size. Wrap and freeze the leftover tenders; when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry, for chicken fingers or in soups.

Note: Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.

Nutrition

Per serving: 310 calories; 16 g fat (2 g sat, 0 g trans, 4.5 g poly, 8 g mono); 90 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 1 g sugar; 33 g protein; 2 g fiber; 520 mg sodium; 610 mg potassium.