Pecan-Crusted Chicken Breast Recipe

Are you looking for a surprisingly tasty, quick, and simple dish to liven up your weekday dinners? We highly recommend this delicious and nutritious baked, pecan-crusted chicken breast recipe. Chicken breast has long been a favorite protein in kitchens across the world; it is a wonderfully versatile, and low-fat meat that is often very reasonably-priced. Due to chicken being a lean protein, it can quickly dry out when cooked, resulting in tough, often flavorless meat. 

This is why recipe developer Jennine Rye recommends marinading it first in a buttermilk mixture. If you are new to marinading chicken, here's what you need to know: the high acidity in buttermilk tenderizes the meat, making the resulting dish both flavorful and juicy. Simple and worthwhile, this chicken recipe is finished off with a crumb-coating of chopped pecan nuts and breadcrumbs, resulting in a delicious, protein-packed meal. We would describe this dish as the healthiest alternative to buttermilk fried chicken; it has all the flavor with nutritious ingredients, and no frying required. 

To make this pecan-crusted chicken breast, first you will need to gather the ingredients. You will need buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, mixed dried herbs, 2 large chicken breasts, finely chopped pecan nuts, breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

If you can't find any buttermilk, there are plenty of buttermilk alternatives you can use in a pinch. Milk mixed with lemon juice or vinegar is a good substitute, or plain yogurt can be used instead; all these alternatives will tenderize the chicken breast, due to their acidic content. 

To create beautifully tender, baked chicken breasts, you will want to marinade them first in buttermilk. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the buttermilk with the garlic powder, onion powder, dried herbs, salt, and pepper. Slice the chicken breasts down the middle lengthwise to create 4 fillets, and then place these into the bowl with the buttermilk marinade, making sure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Place the bowl in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight, to allow the marinade to tenderize the meat.

When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 425 F, and set out a medium-sized baking tray. Remove the chicken breasts from the fridge.

In a bowl with a wide, flat base, mix together the chopped pecans, the breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Then, remove one chicken fillet at a time from the marinade, scrape any excess marinade off, and then press it into the pecan and breadcrumb mixture. Make sure each fillet is well-coated with the crumbs before gently placing them into the baking tray. When all the chicken is coated in the crumb mixture, place the baking tray into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately while the chicken is hot, and the coating is deliciously crunchy.