Walnut Crusted Chicken

Walnut Crusted Chicken is a healthier alternative to your typical fried chicken. This rosemary chicken recipe is packed full of flavor and crunch! The whole family will fall in love!

 

Why You’ll Love This Walnut Crusted Chicken Recipe

I love trying new recipes, and here is why you are going to love this new chicken recipe.

• Perfect crunch – Ground walnuts give this chicken the perfect texture, without having to fry it!
• Loved by all – The next time you want to try something different for dinner, this is a great recipe that the whole family will love.
• Healthier version of fried chicken – This is a great recipe to make when you want to cut back on carbs, but you’re still craving crispy chicken.

Ingredients

All of these simple ingredients to make walnut-crusted chicken should be easy to find at your local grocery store.

Walnut Crusted Chicken:

• Chicken breasts – I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken breasts. I also like to pound them to an even thickness for more even cooking.
• Walnuts – You want these to be finely chopped to a breadcrumb-like consistency. The easiest way to do this is in a food processor. 
• Panko bread crumbs – I prefer to use panko, but you can also use Italian style breadcrumbs as well.
• Fresh rosemary – Adding fresh herbs into the mix adds another layer of sophistication. Check the section below for other options.
• Eggs – A lightly beaten egg wash is the best way to allow the coating to stick to the chicken.
• Flour – All purpose flour will work perfectly for this walnut coating.
• Salt and pepper – I like to use a simple blend of fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. We will use for both the chicken and the sauce.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:

• Plain Greek yogurt – With acidity and tang, this makes the perfect base for our creamy sauce.
• Fresh herbs – Fresh herbs can include sage, dill, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, mint or anything else you are growing in the garden
• Lemon – We will be using both the lemon zest and lemon juice for this sauce. Fresh lemon juice is always preferred over the bottled variety.

Variations

There are several ways you can make this walnut crusted chicken recipe your own. Here are a few ideas.

• Chicken – Instead of chicken breasts, you could use chicken tenders or boneless chicken thighs. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Seasoning – I just used salt and pepper to season my breading, however you can add things like garlic powder, onion powder or Italian seasoning to take things up a notch
• Herbs – Fresh herbs can include sage, dill, parsley, fresh thyme, mint or anything else you are growing in the garden. 
• Cheese – If you want to add even more flavor to this breading, trying mixing in some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

How to Make Walnut Crusted Chicken

You are going to love how easy it is to make your new favorite chicken recipe.

1. Prepare oven and baking sheet. Preheat the oven and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.  
2. Pound. Cut each chicken breast in half, then place it on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap or wax paper. Using a meat mallet, tenderize until it is a 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Prepare bowls. Arrange three shallow bowls on the counter. In the first shallow bowl, combine the walnuts, rosemary and panko. In the second bowl, lightly beaten eggs and the third bowl, flour mixed with the fine sea salt and pepper.
4. Dredge chicken. Lightly dredge each breast halve in flour, then egg mixture and finally the walnut mixture. Pat in the walnuts to make sure you get a good, even coat. Place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake the chicken.  For the last couple of minutes, change to a low broil to get a nice golden brown on top.
6. Make sauce. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the yogurt, herbs, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.

What to Serve with Walnut Crusted Chicken

We like to serve this this walnut chicken recipe with out favorite side dishes. Our go to is usually some fresh green beans or broccoli. And you can never go wrong with some crusty artisan bread- or garlic bread is always a favorite too.

This recipe is written with a lemon yogurt sauce. The citrus and tang of the sauce pairs perfectly with the buttery nuts used in the breading. However, this chicken would also be delicious with honey mustard, a white wine sauce or a balsamic vinegar glaze.

Tips and Tricks

To make sure you get the perfect walnut crusted chicken every time, make sure to follow these tips!

• Cut off the fat – I recommend always cutting the fat off your chicken and pounding your chicken until it becomes a specific thickness. Try your best to cut into similar sized piece of chicken, especially if using large chicken breasts. 
• Pat dry – For the crispiest chicken, I like to pat my chicken breasts dry with a paper towel before tossing it in the mixture to get coated. 
• Check temperature – Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken once it is finished air frying. You want to make sure that the temperature in the thickest part of your chicken tender is at least 165 degrees.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store

While Walnut Crusted Chicken can be reheated, it is best served as soon as it comes out of the air fryer. However, any leftover chicken tenders can be stored in an airtight container or bag for two to three days in the refrigerator.

Can I Freeze Walnut Crusted Chicken?

You can also freeze any leftover chicken that you may have. This makes a super quick and easy lunch or dinner. Just toss your leftovers into a freezer-safe bag, and then you can keep them in the freezer for about three months.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

Chicken recipes are some of my favorite, but they can get kind of repetitive and boring. These recipes are anything but!