Nut Crusted Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

This Nut Crusted Chicken is made with chicken breasts coated in a toasty pecan panko mixture and baked in the oven until crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It’s made with a few simple ingredients for an elegant yet simple weeknight meal that goes with any of your favorite sides. 

 

A Crunchy Twist on Classic Chicken

If you’ve ever felt like chicken breasts are too bland for you, you’ll love this Nut Crusted Chicken. It’s a great way to dress up basic chicken breasts without an overcomplicated recipe.  Shallots, pecans, lemon and thyme are combined with the crispiest coating for chicken breasts that will steal the show.

For those nights when you don’t want to take the time to make fried chicken but want some crunch, toasted nuts and panko will create the perfect coating for a weeknight chicken dinner. Super simple to make and they’re baked instead of fried.

The first part of this recipe starts with toasting the pecans and panko bread crumbs with butter in a skillet to gently crisp them up and bring out the nuttiness of the pecans. You’ll add chopped shallots to add even some flavor. 

Once the bread crumbs are toasted, you’ll add lemon zest, fresh thyme, and cayenne pepper for a zesty, herbal taste with a gentle kick of heat. 

The next part is dredging the chicken in flour, then an egg and dijon mustard mixture, and then pressing the panko pecan mixture on the chicken. This helps the panko pecan mixture stick to the chicken without deep frying. 

The chicken is baked in the oven until it’s crispy on the outside while staying juicy and tender on the inside. Serve it with a side of Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, and some honey mustard sauce or if you have an extra minute, pour over some Southern white gravy.

This Pecan-Crusted Chicken Will Have You Coming Back for More

Here are some reasons why we love this nut crusted chicken dish:

• It’s easy: You only need a few basic ingredients and simple steps to whip up a flavorful chicken dish. 
• It’s flavorful: The lemon, thyme, and nut crust bring bland chicken to life for a dish you’ll want to keep on repeat. 
• It’s crunchy: The pecan-panko coating results in crispy on the outside and tender on the inside chicken. 

The Main Things You Need For This Pecan Chicken Recipe

This is just a brief list of what you’ll need to make this recipe. Don’t forget to check the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: These make a great lean base for the panko pecan crust. You could also make this recipe with chicken tenders.
• Pecans: If you don’t have pecans, almonds or walnuts work great as a substitute for a more neutral flavor and crunchy texture.
• Shallot: A mild onion-like vegetable that adds a mellow aromatic flavor. If you don’t have shallots, green onions or a small amount of onion can work as alternatives.
• Panko breadcrumbs: These Japanese-style breadcrumbs create a light, crispy coating. You can swap them with regular breadcrumbs, but panko gives that extra crunch.

Making Chicken with a Nut Crust Is Easy

Step One: Prep the Nuts and Panko

Step Two: Coat the Chicken

Tip: If your chicken breasts are super thick, you can soak them in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes or overnight for the most tender results. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can learn how to make buttermilk from scratch.  

Step Three: Bake the Chicken

Keeping Nut Crusted Chicken Fresh and Crispy

Place any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

To reheat, place the chicken in a preheated oven at 350ºF to keep the crust crispy.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.