Hatch Chili Activated Pecan Crusted “Unfried” Chicken
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup Hatch Chili Activated Native Texas Pecans
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 tbs mayonnaise
- Salt & Pepper
For the Cilantro Lime Crema:
- 1 cup cilantro
- 2 small (or 1 large) lime (juiced)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbs avocado (or any neutral) oil
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
- In a food processor, pulse the Hatch Chili Activated Native Texas Pecans with about a ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper until they reach a finely ground texture. Pour ground pecans into a bowl.
- To the ground pecans, add shredded Monterey Jack cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Line a baking tray with foil and place the 4 chicken breasts onto the tray
- Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sided with salt and pepper.
- Spread the tops of the chicken breasts with ~1 tbs of mayonnaise each.
- Mound with the Hatch Chili Activated Native Texas Pecan and cheese mixture press firmly to adhere.
- Place the crusted chicken breasts in the oven and bake until the internal temp of 165 is reached. (Aprox. 20 mins)
- While the chicken is baking, make the Cilantro Lime Crema.
- To a blender, add cilantro, lime juice, garlic, avocado oil, greek yogurt, salt and pepper.
- Blend ingredients until a consistent sauce forms.
- Remove chicken from the oven, drizzle with sauce and serve with your favorite side/vegetable!
(Note: recipe is fully gluten free!)