Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast

Chicken Breast - Meat and Poultry

I almost never order a nut-crusted entree in a restaurant, as they often feature a sugary glaze or a too-sweet nut, like pecan or macadamia. That's not an issue here since we're going with buttery, subtly bitter walnuts, held on with a very savory 'nut glue,' made with a garlic and mustard base. This protective layer of deliciousness makes boneless, skinless chicken breast taste like it was just carved off a freshly roasted carcass.

Brief

Prep 20 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Additional: 1hr30 mins

Total: 2hrs25 mins

Servings: 4

Yield: 2 chicken breasts

Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast

Ingredients

5 cloves garlic

crushed

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

divided

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 (8 ounce) skinless

boneless chicken breast halves

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne pepper to taste

1 ½ cups finely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

or to taste

½ cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons honey

Meat and Poultry

Directions

Step 1

Mix garlic 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard and thyme together in a bowl to make the ut glue.\

Step 2

Season chicken breasts generously with salt pepper and cayenne. Spread nut glue all over the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3

Toss walnuts over the chicken press down firmly and repeat on the other side to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 5

Coat the bottom of an oven-proof skillet with some olive oil. Place chicken breasts on top reserving excess nuts if desired. Season with a pinch of salt and drizzle more olive oil on top.

Step 6

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until walnuts are lightly toasted and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast reads 150 degrees F (66 degrees C) about 25 minutes.

Step 7

Quickly remove chicken to a plate to rest. Transfer skillet to the stovetop; stir in broth 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and honey and bring to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced by about half 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon pan sauce over and around the chicken to serve.

Nutritional Information

Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast

Servings Per Recipe:4

Calories: 473.7

% Daily Value *

Protein: 30.7g 61%

Carbohydrates: 13g 4%

Dietary Fiber: 3.1g 12%

Sugars: 4.4g

Fat: 34.8g 54%

Saturated Fat: 3.9g 20%

Cholesterol: 65.4mg 22%

Vitamin A Iu: 64.9IU 1%

Niacin Equivalents: 16.8mg 129%

Vitamin B6: 0.7mg 46%

Vitamin C: 2.4mg 4%

Folate: 46.5mcg 12%

Calcium: 63.2mg 6%

Iron: 2.2mg 12%

Magnesium: 93.1mg 33%

Potassium: 408.5mg 11%

Sodium: 523.5mg 21%

Thiamin: 0.2mg 21%

Calories From Fat: 313.3

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Nutrition information is provided for reference only. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.