Pecan Crusted Chicken- Easily Made Gluten Free

“This needs to go on your blog.” This is what my husband said after he tasted this chicken.  It is surprisingly simple and looks beautiful on a plate.  One of my goals is to make things people want to eat, and I especially like it when I make something that tastes like it came from a restaurant.  This definitely qualifies!

 

Ingredients:

4 pounds of chicken breast

2 Ener-G eggs (or 2 egg whites)

4 tsp cornstarch

Juice of 1 lemon (save lemon zest)

Oil for frying

 

Crumb Mixture:

1 c. Rice Chex crumbs or bread crumbs (make sure the bread crumbs are gluten free if you need to be gluten free)

2 T. dried parsley

1 1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt)

3/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp dried lemon peel (optional, but I used it this time)

zest from the lemon (~1/4 tsp- used in addition to the lemon peel)

3/4 c. finely chopped pecans

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

dash of onion powder

dash of garlic powder

 

Directions:

Cut chicken into pieces the size of the palm of your hand (I cut some of the breasts in half so they wouldn’t be as thick.)

Combine egg, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a shallow dish.

Crumb the Rice Chex in the food processor.  Chop the pecans finely (I used the food processor too). Combine them with all the other ingredients in a shallow dish and stir well.

Dip chicken in the cornstarch mixture first and then dip it into the pecan mixture and press the pecan mixture onto the chicken to make sure it is coated well.  Allow to air dry for 20-30 minutes, uncovered (I put it on a cookie sheet and stuck it in the fridge.)  Don’t skip this step or your crumb crust will fall off!

Fill a frying pan to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep with oil- I used canola.  Heat oil until it pops when you splash 1-2 drops of water in it.  Be careful and don’t splash yourself!  I use a splatter shield over my pan.  Once oil is hot, fill frying pan with air-dried, coated chicken.  Fry on one side until the edges turn white and the top is starting to change color (maybe 5-7 minutes?) Flip carefully and cook on the other side another 5-7 minutes until chicken is firm when you press on it with a spatula or until it is done when cut through a thick part.  Remove chicken to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting in and enjoying.

To store, I let the chicken cool on plates with the most recently cooked side up.  Store in air-tight containers and microwave to reheat.

 

Adapted from: http://www.food.com/recipe/pecan-crusted-chicken-145068