Pecan Crusted Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

YAASSSSS to everything about this recipe. Yes to the fact that this chicken is crusted in flour + ground pecans before being cooked until crispy and perfect in the pan. Yes to the fact that in the same pan we make a to-die-for sauce out of garlic, shallots, mushrooms, and half and half. Yes to the fact that the chicken is smothered in the sauce and then sprinkled with toasted pecans.

Like…can I just…can we just…LET’S EAT THIS FOREVER.

This is one of those meals that you throw together when you’re feeling a little extra fancy or maybe having a date-night-in dinner with somebody special. It’s not like the recipe is hard or complicated, per se, but it takes a little more effort than a “dump and cook” type of situation (like the Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli I posted a few weeks ago, for example 😍).

It does take a few extra steps, but man oh man, it is WORTH IT. So yummy.

Here’s whatchu gon’ do to make this happen:

• STEP ONE: Prep the chicken. You’ll start with two breasts and slice each in half and then pound each out with a meat mallet so they’re thin and tender.
• STEP TWO: Crust the chicken. You’re going to use two bowls for this. In one bowl, you’ll have a beaten egg, and in the other bowl, you’ll have a combo of flour and pecans that you’ve ground up in your food processor. It’ll go egg first, flour + pecan second, and then set out on a plate until ready to cook!
• STEP THREE: Cook the chicken. In a large skillet with some olive oil and butter over medium heat, you’ll pan fry your chicken breasts until each side is a nice, deep golden brown and the middle is cooked through! Pretty quick and simple.
• STEP FOUR: The sauce. The ssaauuucceeee – so good. You’ll set the chicken aside and in the same pan, add your shallot and garlic and saute until that starts to soften up. Then you’ll throw in a little more butter + a few cups of sliced mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are getting nice and soft and then pour in your cream. Bring this to a simmer and cook until the sauce has gotten delicious and thick – it shouldn’t take long!
• STEP FIVE: Smother the chicken with sauce, sprinkle with toasted pecans, and DEVOUR IMMEDIATELY. Love.

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce

• Author: Annie Chesson
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup pecans, divided
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (we used button mushrooms, but anything will work)
• 3/4 cup half and half

Instructions

1. Slice your chicken breasts in half so you have four pieces, pound each piece out with a meat mallet until they are all even thickness, and season all sides liberally with salt and pepper
2. Blend 1/2 cup of your pecans in a food processor until they are finely ground
3. Add the pecans to a bowl with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine
4. In a second bowl, beat your egg with some salt and pepper
5. Dip each chicken breast half in egg before adding to the flour/pecan bowl and turning over and over until each piece has a nice, even coating of flour/pecan. Set aside until ready to cook
6. In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of your butter + 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil/butter is hot, add your chicken breasts and cook on both sides until they are deep golden brown and cooked through. Set aside to a plate and make your sauce
7. Turn the heat down to medium and, in the same pan that you used for the chicken, add your shallot and garlic + a little salt and pepper. Cook until softened
8. To this, add your remaining butter and your mushrooms + some salt/pepper. Cook until softened
9. Meanwhile, chop your remaining pecans and toast them in a small pan. Set aside until ready to serve
10. When the mushrooms are soft, add your half and half + a little salt/pepper to the pan and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced – it shouldn’t take longer than several minutes
11. To serve, top each slice of chicken with sauce plus a sprinkle of toasted pecans!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece of chicken + sauce + pecans
• Calories: 501
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 182 mg
• Fat: 45 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 11 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 16 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg

If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!

In the mood for more yummy chicken recipes? Check these out:

Nashville Hot Chicken

Blackened Chicken with Avocado Cream

The Trick to THE Juiciest Chicken Breasts