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.
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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.
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Nut Crusted Chicken with Lemon and Thyme
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt
- 1 cup pecans
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Process nuts in food processor until they resemble coarse meal. Heat butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 4-5 minutes.
- Add shallot and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook stirring constantly until just slightly brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add panko and ground nuts. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to pie plate and stir in lemon zest, thyme and cayenne.
- Lightly beat eggs, mustard and black pepper together in second pie plate. Place flour in third pie plate.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off excess, then coat with egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Coat all sides of chicken with panko mixture, pressing gently so that the crumbs stick to the chicken. Transfer to a clean wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake until thermometer registers 160º, 20-25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- For the most tender chicken, soak it in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- If the chicken breasts are thick, pound them so that they are about ¼ inch thick.
Nutrition
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