Pecan Crusted Chicken

Chicken that tastes like fried chicken, but isn't fried?! I can handle that... (FYI, I have a pretty serious aversion to frying things. It's not healthy - I'd rather have dessert if I'm not going to be healthy - and it stinks up the house and makes a huge mess... but it just tastes so darn good!) Needless to say, my brother (who has the palate of a 5 year-old) loved this chicken. In his words, "I ... actually LIKE this!" If that seal of approval isn't enough to convince you, maybe the pictures will do the trick:

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Greens dressed with homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter

My dear friends, while this recipe takes a tad more time than the average recipe, it is a culinary showstopper. It tastes amazing, is very healthy, takes little effort, and it fills you without making you feel stuffed. (Translation: leaves room for dessert!!) If you make nothing else, try the honey mustard dressing - it is so easy and so much better than any other honey mustard out there! (Except for Rush Street in Kingsport, of course.) This meal serves 4, but it is easy to scale down portions or add extra servings as necessary.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and pounded slightly
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 egg whites
2 tsp. cornstarch
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 c. ciabatta breadcrumbs, toasted in 200* F. oven for 10-15 minutes
3/4 c. very finely chopped pecans
1/2-1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of each chicken breast half with salt and pepper. Set up a dredging station (I use pie tins or shallow dishes):

1) Flour
2) Egg whites, corn starch, and lemon juice, whisked together
3) Breadcrumbs, pecans, and cayenne

Dip each chicken breast half in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip in egg white mixture (make sure chicken is well-coated), then into breadcrumb mixture. Put chicken breasts on a paper towel-lined wire rack to rest for 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 350* F. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium/medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, sear chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on one side. Turn chicken and put into oven for 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven (do yourself a favor and put a towel on the handle of the hot skillet to keep yourself from burning your hand!), and serve immediately.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 c. honey
3 Tbsp. dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely minced shallot
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients in a shaker. (Don't put the honey in the shaker first - it will take a lot more effort to get it off the bottom!) For an extra treat, dress a big bowl of greens with this dressing, and slice and serve chicken on top of the greens. The chicken is surprisingly good with this dressing.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter

4 sweet potatoes, washed
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1-2 tsp. honey, or to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
Pinch salt

Heat oven to 450* F. Wrap potatoes in foil and bake for about an hour, or until fork-tender (depends on thickness of potatoes). Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. (This is the perfect time to turn down the heat and put the chicken in the oven.) Meanwhile, mix together butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Split potatoes and serve with 1 Tbsp. butter.