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

Ingredients

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

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
Blend 1/2 cup of your pecans in a food processor until they are finely ground
Add the pecans to a bowl with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine
In a second bowl, beat your egg with some salt and pepper
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
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
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
To this, add your remaining butter and your mushrooms + some salt/pepper. Cook until softened
Meanwhile, chop your remaining pecans and toast them in a small pan. Set aside until ready to serve
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
To serve, top each slice of chicken with sauce plus a sprinkle of toasted pecans!