Pecan Crusted Chicken
Pecan Crusted Chicken is a healthy, easy dinner recipe! Chicken is rolled in a savory pecan mixture and baked until crunchy! Pair this with your favorite dipping sauce for an easy, flavorful meal!
Is there anything better than a hot, crispy, crunchy chicken tender? It is one of those perfect foods that are hard to beat! Today’s recipe puts regular old chicken tenders to shame because the breading is amazing! This chicken is savory, rich, and has a great nutty flavor. The pecan crust roasts as the chicken cooks creating a buttery taste you will love. This chicken dish is naturally gluten and grain-free as well as low-carb!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Ingredients for Pecan Crusted Chicken
As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients you need for this recipe. For the complete, printable recipe scroll to the recipe card below. To make the best crispy Pecan Crusted Chicken you will need:
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breast sliced thin, alternatively boneless chicken thighs will also work if you prefer. Whatever cut you use be sure they are cut into small, thin strips so they cook quickly. If you use very large chicken breast the pecans will burn before the center of the chicken has cooked through.
- Eggs: this is used to help the pecan breading adhere to the chicken.
- Honey Mustard: you can use this sugar-free honey mustard if you are keto or low-carb.
- Pecans: crushed pecans are the star of this crunchy chicken. Some grocery stores offer crushed pecans, or you can use your food processor to make your own.
- Almond Flour: is also used in the breading.
- Spices: garlic powder, paprika, oregano, garlic salt.
- Butter: melted butter is brushed over the chicken to make sure the pecans are perfectly toasted instead of burning during the cooking process.
How to make Pecan Crusted Chicken
In addition to the ingredients listed above you will need bowls, a spatula, and a baking sheet. A food processor also makes crushing the pecans super easy. I’ve documented the entire process below so you can make this dish at home.
Slice the Chicken
It is important to slice the chicken into thin chicken tenders before cooking. You can see from the images the size you should shoot for. If you use large, thick chicken breast for this recipe the pecan crust will burn before the chicken has a chance to cook through properly.
Bread the Chicken
Set up a breading station. You will need two bowls, one will contain the eggs and honey mustard, and the second will contain the crushed pecans, almond flour, and spices. To bread the chicken add the chicken to the beaten egg and make sure it is completely coated.
Next, transfer the chicken to the pecan mixture. Use a clean fork to turn the chicken and lightly press the breading down as you go. This will help the larger chunks of pecan adhere to the chicken tenders. Once the chicken is completely covered place it on a greased baking sheet. Do your best to make sure the chicken doesn’t touch, and leave a little bit of room to ensure that no moisture is captured and the chicken has a chance to get nice and crispy.
Bake
Once the chicken has been breaded and placed on a baking sheet gather any of the remaining pecan mixture and lightly press on top of the chicken. Trust me, you don’t want any of that deliciousness to go to waste! Next, melt the butter and brush the tops of the chicken with the butter and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes carefully flip the chicken and bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Serve
It is best to serve this dish immediately while it is hot and crispy. As the chicken cools it will lose some of its crispness. This crunchy, healthy chicken pairs perfectly with basically anything, but these are some of my favorite side dish recipes:
- Air Fryer Green Beans: an easy, healthy side dish.
- Wedge Salad: a classic, cold salad that is so good with this salty, crunchy chicken.
- Air Fryer Zucchini: the perfect way to have zucchini with basically no clean-up!
- Zucchini Fries: a perfect low-carb alternative to carb-loaded fries.
- Cheesy Cauliflower: cauliflower that is baked in a bubbly cheese sauce!
- Air Fryer Baked Potato: the perfect baked potato with basically no effort.
Storage and Reheating
Before storing any leftover chicken allow it to cool completely. Place the chicken in an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb any moisture.
To reheat add the chicken to a 350-degree preheated air fryer for 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the chicken in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until warm. I do not suggest warming in the microwave as it does not help the pecans get crisp.
Tips
- When breading the chicken use one fork to toss in the egg mixture. Use a second, clean fork to use in the breading. This helps to prevent the breading mixture from getting too wet and sticking together.
- Use a food processor to crush the pecans.
- Be sure to leave a little room between each chicken tender. If the pan is too crowded and they are touching this actually steams the meat because it captures so much moisture. If you allow adequate room the moisture will evaporate and the chicken will get crispy as it cooks.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. For the honey mustard in the egg wash use this product. Alternatively, if you’d like to leave that ingredient out you can, or you can add 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise to the egg wash. This helps to prevent the chicken from drying out as it cooks.
Yes. This recipe will work with any nut. I have tried it with walnuts and also pistachios. Just remember if you are using a nut that has already been salted to leave the salt out of the recipe.
No, this recipe will not work with large, thick chicken breasts. By the time the chicken has cooked through the pecan crust will burn. You need to use small, thin sections of chicken for this recipe.
If you love this Pecan Chicken you will Also Love:
- Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps: a healthy, easy dinner recipe!
- Cajun Air Fryer Chicken Thighs: Easy, inexpensive, and perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Chicken Cordon Bleu: a classic dish everyone loves!
- Leftover Turkey Wraps: cranberry, brie, bacon, and turkey are paired for the perfect easy meal.
- Chicken Pot Pie: the perfect comfort food!
- Orange Chicken: better than takeout!
Pecan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken cut into 12 thin strips
- 1 1/2 cups crushed pecans unsalted, unroasted
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon EACH garlic powder paprika, oregano and garlic salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey mustard sugar free if keto
- 1 1/2 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- If starting with a large chicken breast slice them into thin chicken tender-style slices.
- Set up a breading station. You will need two bowls, one will contain the eggs and honey mustard, and the second will contain the crushed pecans, almond flour, and spices. To bread the chicken add the chicken to the beaten egg and make sure it is completely coated.
- Next, transfer the chicken to the pecan mixture. Use a clean fork to turn the chicken and lightly press the breading down as you go. This will help the larger chunks of pecan adhere to the chicken tenders. Once the chicken is completely covered place it on a greased baking sheet. Do your best to make sure the chicken doesn’t touch, and leave a little bit of room to ensure that no moisture is captured and the chicken has a chance to get nice and crispy.
- Once the chicken has been breaded and placed on a baking sheet gather any of the remaining pecan mixture and lightly press on top of the chicken. Trust me, you don’t want any of that deliciousness to go to waste! Next, melt the butter and brush the tops of the chicken with the butter and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes carefully flip the chicken and bake an additional 8-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
