Pecan Crusted Chicken | Clean Eating Recipe (2024)

This pecan crusted chicken is my absolute favorite! It is crunchy and bursting with flavor. Plus, it’s made with clean ingredients for a clean eating recipe that is dairy free, gluten free and AIP friendly.

I prefer to eat clean (you can read more about what that means to me here). This pecan crusted chicken recipe is easy to make, gluten free, dairy free and AIP (autoimmune protocol) friendly. Not only is it healthy, but it also tastes amazing. It is packed with flavor and it’s crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It is one of my top favorite clean eating recipes along with the best cashew chicken stir fry, air fryer gluten free chicken strips, and this copycat Chipotle burrito bowl.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Ingredients

The pecan crusted chicken ingredients are simple, clean and you should have them in your pantry already if you do gluten free cooking. If you don’t then I’ll also list some alternative choices that you probably have on hand. You’ll need:

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thin sliced
• 1 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup pecans, crushed (see photo above – I rolled mine to crush them)
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 3/4 tsppaprika
• 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsppink Himalayan salt
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 egg whites
• 2 tsp tapioca starch
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• avocado oil for frying (may also use olive oil)

If you don’t have tapioca starch on hand you could also use arrowroot or corn starch. If you are not cooking gluten free then you can sub regular panko bread crumbs.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Directions

You can easily whip this pecan crusted chicken up on a busy weeknight because it doesn’t take long to make or cook. It can be done in about a half hour. That’s my kind of recipe!

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. I used thin sliced organic chicken breasts (I find them at Target). If you don’t have thin sliced chicken breasts you can either slice them thin yourself or pound them flat with a meat tenderizer. You want them to cook evenly and quickly, without drying out, so being thin helps achieve this.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 2

In a shallow dish combine panko bread crumbs, crushed pecans, oregano, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, fresh parsley (I used my herb scissors to just cut it up), and salt. Mix together and set aside.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 3

In a separate shallow dish, combine egg whites, tapioca starch, lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk together. Set aside.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 4

In a large, flat, non-stick pan (I used this toxin-free, non-stick pan) heat 3-4 tablespoons of avocado oil over medium-high heat.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 5

Set up your ingredients in order: chicken, wet mixture, dry mixture, frying pan, baking dish. You’ll need an oven-safe baking dish to transfer the chicken into from the frying pan.

Dip each piece of chicken, one at a time, into the wet mixture, then coat in the dry mixture and place in the hot frying pan.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 6

Cook chicken about 3 minutes on each side until coating is crisp. Then, transfer to an oven-safe baking dish.

Pecan Crusted Chicken Step 7

Bake 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink. I like to use a meat thermometer to test the temperature which should be 165 degrees F. I use this quick read digital thermometer for ease and accuracy.

What Do I Serve With Pecan Crusted Chicken?

Pecan crusted chicken is a delicious main course all on its own. You may be wondering what to serve with pecan crusted chicken. You can serve it with a side of steamed vegetables and a rice medley for a clean eating dinner idea. Alternatively, you can serve it over a bed of lettuce with a homemade salad dressing for a light lunch. This is a recipe that my whole family loves, including the kids! Serve it with a side of gluten free brown rice pasta and broccoli for a kid-friendly side dish idea.

How To Reheat Pecan Crusted Chicken

We don’t use the microwave to reheat food as it kills the nutrients in the food and leaves you with a plate of empty calories. You can easily reheat pecan crusted chicken in the oven by placing it on a pan or piece of foil and baking at 375 degrees F until warm. It will come out crunchy just like the first time and won’t get soggy or dried out like it would in the microwave.

Is Pecan Crusted Chicken Healthy?

Thanks to the clean eating ingredients I use in this recipe, my gluten free pecan crusted chicken is healthy! It’s packed with protein from both the chicken and the pecans and will satisfy your craving for fried chicken without the fats and wheat found in traditional chicken recipes.

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