This recipe coats tender chicken breasts with a buttery pecans flavored with spicy chipotle and zesty orange. Serve with a spinach salad.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (see Note)
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

1. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Place pecans, breadcrumbs, orange zest, salt and ground chipotle in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Whisk egg white and water in a shallow dish until combined. Dip each chicken breast in the egg-white mixture, then dredge both sides in the pecan mixture.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining oil. Cook the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 281 calories; 15 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 2 g fiber; 430 mg sodium; 376 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (34% daily value), good source of omega-3s.
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 lean meat, 1/2 fat

TIP: Tip: It can be hard to find individual chicken breasts small enough for our recommended 4-ounce (uncooked) portion size. If yours are closer to 5 ounces each, remove the tender (about 1 ounce) from the underside to get the correct portion size. Wrap and freeze the leftover tenders; when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry, for chicken fingers or in soups.

Note: Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.

Excellent and fairly easy to make.

Anonymous, Sylvania, OH

I gave it four stars because it was the best pan-fried chicken recipe that I've ever had--at home. I love to cook, but there are a few things I screw up often, and pan-frying any type of meat is one of them. So, when I made this--and it actually came out good (skipped the chipotle, added cayenne pepper instead) I was very proud! The texture of the pecans is really nice, it cooked evenly through and just enough spice. I think it would be even better with a mustard of maple sauce on the side, depending if you like sweet or savory. Either way, thumbs up!

, Portland, OR

I did not have the chipotle pepper and the chicken still came out very good. As an amateur cook I learned some things...how zest can really add flavor to breading, how to incorporate nuts into a breading and that pounding the chicken thin really improves the texture/tenderness!

Anonymous, Lakes Region, NH

Very good. I didn't have an orange for the zest so left it out. Will add this to my "favorites" file. It's fairly quick and easy and very tasty.

Anonymous, Huntington Beach, CA

Used chicken tenders rather than full breasts. Very healthy and tasty. Will put this in my rotation.

Anonymous, MI

Delicious! My family really enjoyed this chicken! I skipped the orange zest, and used the Sunkist Almond Accents in place of the pecans. I also used olive oil in place of canola. The chicken pieces fried up very nicely and the texture was great!

Julie, St. Louis, MO

Very tasty and easy to make. Will definitely make this recipe again.

Johanna, Rockville, MD

The best new thing I have tried in years.

na, Santa Monica, CA

PLEASE...Would someone please explain to me what is in the recipe that a diabetic should'nt have.:(:( Sorry..can't rate it if I can't eat it :(

sylvia wolf, Skippack, PA

I make this dish once a week and my wife loves it. It is very simple and can be preped and cooked in 20 min. Best chicken dish i can make and actually healthy. 4 stars!

John

This recipe was awesome! My family didn't even realize that there were nuts in this. They all loved the crunchy texture and full flavor of the breading. We will definitely be saving this recipe as one of our favorites for chicken!

Nicole, Omaha, NE

I look for easy recipies and love chicken. I must be loosing my mind but my chicken did not at all come out looking or be crispy.As I looked at the mush, I decided to put it in the convection oven and cook it there. It will probably still taste good, but have to say your chicken looks like a true chicken cutley with bread crumbs. Mine surely did not. Maybe someone can tell me why.

Alice, East Stroudsburg, PA

This is quick, simple, nutritious and delicious. What more could we ask for? If you can't find ground chipotle pepper near you, check out www.penzeys.com. they sell superior quality spices. A retail store just opened near me---just smelling all those spices is a wonderful treat!

everyday cook, Falls Church, VA

Haven't tried this yet, but will after I buy groceries again! I don't see anything that would keep a diabetic from eating this.... I plan to feed it to my husband who is. Only 7 grams of carbs.... not bad!

Deb Stiles, Rockford, IL

Delicious! I usually make Italian-style chicken cutlets using a mixture of bread crumbs & parmesan cheese, and I love this healthier alternative substituting pecans for the cheese and using some different seasonings. Pecans keep well in the freezer so I think I will be making this often. It had a nice nutty flavor & my 3 kids enjoyed it. I didn't have any chipotle so used a mixture of chili powder + cayenne instead. Did not have any spinach for a salad, so for a "southwestern" twist, I came up with a quick corn & bean salad that was SO delicious along with the chicken: one can of black beans, rinsed; one can of corn, rinsed; 3 or 4 fresh plum tomatoes, cored & diced; half of an orange bell pepper & half of a small red onion, both diced; one clove of garlic, minced; lots of chopped fresh cilantro; juice of one lime; salt & pepper to taste. Just mix it all together & serve - looks beautiful with all those colors & is SO yummy and healthy! We also had brown rice on the side b/c my kids love rice. Overall a fast, healthy, tasty meal I was able to whip up after work in about 30 min.!

Christine, Vienna, VA

Sorry. Not impressed. I tried this because of all the great reviews, but I had trouble getting the chicken coated and then thought it didn't have much taste except for the heat from the chipotle. The only substitution I made was using Morton salt substitute instead of the real thing.

Julie, Alton, IL

Decades ago I saved a similar recipe in which you lightly cover (spray nowadays?) the chicken breasts with margarine or butter, then to coat them, roll them in a mixture of seasoned breadcrumbs you've mixed in a baggie, and then bake them in a glass baking dish rather than pan fry. The baking dish is securely foil-covered during the baking time except for the two brief times you gently spoon a tablespoon of sherry over each breast. I think your recipe and its ingredients could be adapted to baking for fewer calories, and it would be fun to try a different liquid to enhance the flavors in your mix.

Becky, Palmdale, CA

This was one of the most delicious chicken recipes I've ever tasted. I did'nt have an orange for the zest, so I used lemon and instead of chipotle, I used a little chili powder. The chicken was incredibly tender on the inside and full of flavor! I'm gonna pass this recipe on to my family.

Deb Shealy, Newberry, SC

I made this with a friend last week & we both loved it and so did my husband... & he was skeptical when he heard "pecan encrusted". The chicken was juicy & the flavor was great- the pecans, spice, & orange zest is a yummy combo. We used cayenne pepper instead of chipotle though (just b/c the chipotle was expensive, $11). We also used bigger portions of chicken than the recipe called for. We should have made the pecan/bread crumb mix larger since we used more chicken than the recipe called for. That was our only boo boo. Great recipe!!

Ellen D., Virginia Beach, VA

Perhaps the best chicken I've ever made. Interesting flavor combos and easy to make. Served it with the mango, avocado spinach salad and couscous--it was incredible.

Anonymous

This was excellent! Ihave a red meat eating boy friend and he raved about the chicken. There was some left over and he kept picking at it. I made more so I could have some leftovers, but that didn't end up to be the case. I have had pecan crusted chicken out at restaurants and loved it. I can now make it at home. I would rate it 5 stars if that rated exited on this site. I will definitely make this again. I had no problem keeping the breading on. I made some substitutes because I didn't have the ingredients. I used Italian bread crumbs instead of plain bread crumbs. I used 1/4 tsp dried orange peel instead of fresh grated zest. I used 1/4 tsp medium hot red peppers (dried) instead of the chipotle. Excellent!!!!!

Jan from MN, St. Louis Park, MN

I loved it. My boyfriend who only eats read meat loved it. It was easy. I'll make it again. I had no problem keeping the breading on. I substituted dried peel for fresh orange zest and medium hot red peppers for the chipolte pepper. I'll make it soon ... and for company.

Skippy, Mpls, MN

This was *really* good! My husband devoured it. I had to go to a specialty store for the ground chipotle, but it was worth it. The recipe was easy and I'll be making it again for sure.

Hyla, Tucson, AZ