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Crispy, crunchy pecan crusted chicken cutlets that are perfect for a simple mid-week meal, served with a creamy, honey mustard sauce. Pair them with steamed greens and boiled potatoes, or even just a handful of dressed arugula. It’s crispy chicken but without the breadcrumbs — or any pan frying!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why You’ll Love This Crusted Chicken Recipe
- Golden crispy chicken cutlets with juicy middles and crunchy coatings usually involve breadcrumbs, and some sort of frying. But, I’ve achieved both of those things in this pecan crusted chicken recipe that is naturally gluten-free and high protein because of the nuts, and which is baked, not fried!
- It takes just over 30 minutes to make this pecan chicken recipe, giving you just enough time to whip up some sides and mix up the wonderfully creamy honey mustard sauce which has just enough sweetness and tang to wake up the chicken and balance out the richness of the pecans.
- Aside from the chicken and the Greek yogurt I’ve used regular pantry ingredients for this recipe (and to be honest, who doesn’t add chicken breasts and a tub of yogurt to the trolley every time they go to the grocery store?) so if you’re stuck for what to make for dinner tonight there is a high chance you have everything you need to hand — but I have added a few swaps and substitutions below to help you on your way!
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- The mustard won’t stick to the chicken — and therefore the pecan coating won’t stick to the chicken — if you don’t pat the chicken dry first.
- Thin chicken cutlets consistently produced the best results. Making this recipe with whole breasts didn’t work as the pecans burned before the chicken was cooked through. Make sure they’re an even size so they cook evenly. Slightly thick pieces can be evened out by bashing them lightly with the heel of your hand.
- I found it easier to gently press the pecans onto the chicken with my hands rather than dipping it in the mixture. There was also none of the wastage you usually get dipping chicken into some sort of coating using this method.
- Lining the baking sheet with baking parchment provides for easy cleanup while also preventing the pecan mixture from sticking as the chicken releases juices in the oven.
Ingredients
Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Thin sliced preferably, or if you have two thick breasts cut them down the middle horizontally for two flatter equally sized cutlets. Or, if your grocery store sells pre-cut chicken cutlets, use those instead!
Pecans – Pecan halves or even those broken up pieces at the bottom of the jar are what you’re looking for here. Don’t use pre-ground pecan meal as blitzing them yourself gives a better texture. This recipe will also work to make pistachio, almond and walnut crusted chicken, or you could use a mixture of whatever you’re looking to use up.
Paprika – This will add warmth to the chicken coating. If your grocery store gives you a choice that is not just regular ‘paprika’ choose ‘sweet smoked paprika’ or ‘hot paprika’ if you’re looking to add a little spice!
Garlic powder – This will add garlic flavor without the need to use raw garlic which won’t season the chicken as well as we’re not marinating it before adding the pecan coating.
Dijon mustard – Dijon is perfect for this recipe as it is mild but still has that mustard kick that works so well to flavor both the chicken and the sauce. But, if you’d like things more ‘mustardy’ sub in American yellow mustard for the chicken, but use wholegrain mustard (or one of those jars that blends wholegrain and Dijon) in the sauce to add a bit of complexity to the flavors on the plate.
Plain Greek yogurt – Full fat yogurt will make a thicker, richer sauce, but half fat will also work well.
Honey – Use the runny type in the squeezy bottle here so it easily blends into the sauce.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
This pecan crusted chicken recipe is super versatile, it will go with practically any carby side from scalloped potatoes to French fries, and vegetable from sautéed snow peas to a caprese salad. It’s a great protein to make when you’re trying to clear the vegetable drawer but you want something simpler and lighter than a kitchen sink-style soup or stew.
The chicken is best enjoyed the day it is made as the pecans won’t stay nice and crisp in the refrigerator, but it will still be tasty sliced over salads or in wraps for up to 3 days after baking. If you want you can meal prep the sauce up to 3 days in advance, too.
I’d not recommend freezing the chicken, as the pecan coating just stuck on with mustard won’t hold up to freezing, thawing, and any knocks it might take in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but be prepared to do a lot of chopping with a big, heavy knife to get the mixture fine enough to mimic breadcrumbs!
I’ve not tried it, but I’d bake it at 375°F for about 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through to it cooks evenly. If you give it a go, do let me know how you got on!
You want the pecan crust to be nice and golden, and the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165°F in the thickest part.
Yes! Just choose one that is nice and thick as we’ll be thinning it with the mustard and the honey.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Pecan Crusted Chicken Cutlets
Equipment
- large baking sheet
- baking parchment
- Pastry brush natural or silicone
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts thin sliced, or to thick breasts sliced down the middle into cutlets
- 1 cup pecans
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
- fresh thyme optional, to garnish
Honey-Mustard Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
- In a food processor, pulse the pecans with the paprika and garlic powder.
- Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Season with salt and pepper, and brush on the mustard. Using your hands, press the pecan coating onto the chicken, transferring the cutlets to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the pecans are golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Honey-Mustard Sauce
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the honey mustard sauce.
Approximate Information for One Serving
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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