5-Ingredient Recipe: Buttermilk Pecan Crusted Chicken

By Claire Robinson
Published on March 12, 2012
article image
Photo By Stephen Murello
Crunchy Buttermilk Pecan Chicken is coated in panko and pecans.

Buttermilk Pecan Chicken

Four 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup toasted pecans
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

1. Place each chicken breast on a cutting board and gently flatten it with a meat mallet or heavy, flat object to an even 1/3-inch-thick.

2. Marinate chicken in buttermilk for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

3. Create breading by pulsing pecans and panko together in a food processor until fine. Transfer breading to a large, rimmed dish.

4. Remove marinated chicken from buttermilk and shake off excess. Dip chicken in breading, evenly coating both sides.

5. In a large skillet, heat oil. Working in two batches, add breaded chicken breast and shallow fry 4 to 5 minutes on each side until golden. Remove from oil and drain on a towel-lined plate; season with salt and pepper immediately and serve. Serves 4.

Note: If you’d rather not fry the chicken, bake it on a lightly greased baking dish for 25 to 30 minutes in a 375-degree oven.

Why this recipe sings: Highly acidic buttermilk is a fantastic tenderizer; soak any chicken you plan to cook–whether fried, baked or grilled–and you’ll be amazed at how juicy and tender the meat becomes.

If you have it: A couple splashes of your favorite hot sauce into the buttermilk marinade adds a pleasant heat to the chicken. Grated lemon zest stirred into the pecan and panko breading mixture will add a bright note to this deliciously crunchy chicken.

For more 5-ingredient recipes, see the original article, “5-Ingredient Recipes for Simple Cooking.”

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