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Please Note: This recipe is sponsored by Diamond of California, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Irresistibly crispy pecan crusted chicken made in the air fryer! Quick, easy, healthy, and totally delicious. Tender, juicy chicken coated in crunchy Diamond of California pecans, then finished off with an incredible honey mustard sauce – all ready in under 20 minutes!

Close-up, angled view of pecan crusted chicken with honey mustard sauce and small side salad on a white plate.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

  • It comes together in under 20 minutes! Prepare the crispy coating, then dip and cook your chicken in the air fryer for just 12 minutes. While the chicken cooks, prepare your 3-ingredient honey mustard sauce, and that’s it – dinner is served!
  • It’s extra crispy and extra good for you! Two things make this chicken recipe better than fried options – one is the air fryer, and two is the Diamond of California pecans. Their pecan halves, chopped pecans, or finely diced pecans will all work perfectly here!
  • It’s a total family favorite that I promise even your kids will love! Serve it on its own or alongside your favorite veggies. I’m partial to cheesy roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli, or cauliflower au gratin myself.
Overhead view of Diamond of CA pecans next to a plate of pecan crusted chicken.

Chef’s Tips

  • Work in batches if you need to! The key is cooking the chicken in an even layer inside your air fryer tray or basket. If you’re not able to fit all four cutlets into your air fryer at once, then separate them into two batches.
  • The honey mustard sauce is optional, yes, but highly recommended! This crispy pecan chicken has tons of flavor on its own, but a little drizzle of honey mustard takes it to the next level. If you’re not convinced, serve it on the side so you can test it out.
  • Store any leftover air fryer pecan crusted chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. The honey mustard sauce will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month.
  • Pressed for time or just don’t feel like dragging out the food processor? You can eliminate that step altogether by using Diamond of California’s Nut Coatings! They’re an easy, ready-made breading alternative that you can use in place of the breading on this chicken or really any other protein. They come in 3 great flavors, too, so you can change things up a little each time.
Overhead view of a plate of 3 pecan crusted chicken cutlets with a drizzle of honey mustard sauce on a neutral plate.

Air Fryer Sides To Round Out This Meal!

Overhead view of a plate of 3 pecan crusted chicken cutlets with a drizzle of honey mustard sauce on a neutral plate.
Recipe By: Sam Guarnieri
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Pecan Crusted Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 12 minutes
Total 22 minutes
Quick and easy air fryer chicken gets a boost of crunch and crispiness thanks to a coating of breadcrumbs and crushed pecans. Served with an easy 3-ingredient honey mustard, this 20 minute recipe is sure to please!
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4 servings

Equipment

  • air fryer
  • Paper towels
  • Food processor
  • 2 shallow bowls
  • 2 whisks
  • Plate
  • Spray oil safe for air fryers
  • Small bowl
  • Spoon

Ingredients

For the Pecan-Crusted Chicken

  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts approximately 1-1 ½ pounds; cut in half lengthwise to create 4 chicken cutlets
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Diamond of California pecans halved, chopped, or finely diced
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 large egg

For the Honey Mustard Sauce

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

  • Preheat air fryer to 360° Fahrenheit. Pat chicken cutlets completely dry with paper towels. Liberally season all sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
    4 chicken cutlets seasoned with salt and black pepper on a round white plate with blue trim.
  • Add pecans to food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, but don't overdo it. Transfer finely chopped pecans to one shallow bowl.
    Overhead view of finely chopped pecans in a food processor bowl on a white background.
  • Add breadcrumbs, paprika, and garlic powder to bowl with pecans. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
    Overhead view of the pecan and breadcrumb mixture for coating the chicken cutlets.
  • Crack egg into second shallow bowl and whisk until yolk and whites are fully combined.
  • Dip one cutlet in whisked egg, coating both sides of cutlet well. Let excess egg drip back into bowl, then place cutlet in pecan mixture. Flip cutlet in pecan breading until both sides of cutlet are well-coated, then transfer cutlet to plate and set aside. Repeat until all chicken cutlets have been coated in egg and pecan mixture.
    Overhead view of uncooked pecan-crusted chicken on a white plate with blue trim.
  • Lightly spray air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place chicken cutlets in air fryer basket in one even layer, being careful not to stack or overlap cutlets. Work in batches as needed. Spray tops of chicken cutlets lightly with spray oil then return basket to preheated air fryer.
  • Cook 6 minutes, then remove basket and flip cutlets over. Return basket to air fryer and cook another 6 minutes.
    Overhead view of 2 cooked pecan-crusted chicken cutlets in the air fryer basket.
  • While cutlets cook, stir together all ingredients for honey mustard sauce in small bowl. Once chicken is fully cooked, serve immediately with honey mustard sauce and desired sauce.
    Overhead view of a small bowl of honey mustard sauce with a white silicone spatula on a white background.
  • Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
  • Make it Low Carb: Use almond meal instead of panko breadcrumbs.

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 646calProtein: 42gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 573mgPotassium: 817mgTotal Carbs: 19gFiber: 4gSugar: 11gNet Carbs: 15gVitamin A: 528IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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Sam Guarnieri

Sam is a travel, food, and fitness enthusiast from the New York metro area who loves creating new and inventive recipes. Her love of food goes all the way back to her early childhood, cooking alongside her mom and Nonna – the two best cooks she knows! She's a big believer that good-for-you food can still explode with flavor and (most importantly) be easy to make. When she's not in the kitchen, Sam can usually be found planning her next vacation, spending time outdoors, or bingeing the latest Netflix docu-series.

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2 Comments

  1. Made this today – super delicious. Wondering if you can freeze them after you make them. We found 1/2 of one cutlet was plenty so we’ve got 3 more days of eating them every night…..5 stars

    Reply

    1. Yes, you should be able to freeze it no problem! When you get ready to eat it, be sure to reheat it in the air fryer so the breading will crisp back up some. It won’t be quite as crispy as when it was freshly cooked, though.

      Reply

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