Description
These Crispy Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders offer a delightful combination of crunchy pecans and tender chicken, baked to golden perfection. Coated with a flavorful mixture of almond and arrowroot flours with aromatic spices, these tenders provide a guilt-free, gluten-free option that’s perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1.25 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts or tenders
Coating Mixture
- 2.5 cups pecan halves (divided into ½ cup finely pulsed and 2 cups coarsely crushed)
- 2 tablespoons blanched almond flour
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
Other
- 2 large eggs
- Avocado oil cooking spray
- Chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prepare for baking.
- Prepare the Chicken: Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness of about ½ inch, then cut them into tender-sized strips for uniform cooking.
- Make the Fine Pecan Coating: Pulse ½ cup of the pecan halves in a food processor until they form fine crumbs. In a mixing bowl, combine these pecan crumbs with almond flour, arrowroot flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika, mixing well to blend all spices evenly.
- Prepare Coarse Pecan Crumbs: Crush the remaining 2 cups of pecans into coarse crumbs to add texture to the coating.
- Whisk Eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk the two large eggs thoroughly until smooth and combined. This will act as a sticky binder for the coating.
- Coat Chicken with Fine Mixture: Dip each chicken strip into the fine pecan-spice mixture, ensuring an even coat, then shake off any excess crumbs.
- Dip in Egg Wash: Next, dip the coated chicken strips into the whisked eggs, allowing any excess egg to drip off to avoid soggy coating.
- Coat with Coarse Pecans: Roll each egg-coated chicken strip in the coarse pecan crumbs, pressing gently to ensure they stick well, then place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Add Cooking Spray: Lightly spray the tops of the coated chicken tenders with avocado oil cooking spray to help achieve a crispy finish.
- Bake the Chicken: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Then turn each piece over and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is crispy and golden.
- Garnish and Serve: Once baked, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
- Using chicken tenders instead of breasts makes this recipe easier to eat, but breasts work well too.
- The combination of almond and arrowroot flour keeps the coating light and gluten-free.
- For stronger smoky flavor, opt for smoked paprika versus sweet paprika.
- Pecans can be substituted with walnuts or almonds, but pecans offer the best flavor and texture.
- Ensure the pecan crumbs are well crushed but not powdered for a crunchy texture.
- Avocado oil spray helps achieve crispiness without adding excess fat.
- Serve with honey mustard, ranch, or a spicy aioli for extra flavor.
