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Delicious & Easy Walnut-Crusted Chicken

These walnut-crusted chicken breasts are SO delicious and shockingly easy...a perfect weeknight dinner, or something fancy for a dinner party. It's a great, healthy, high-protein meal option, and can be easily made gluten-free (I always make it that way!).
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Marinating Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Dishes
Servings: 3 -4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil plus more for the pan
  • 1/4 cup of Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup of dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
  • 3/4 cup of very finely chopped/blitzed walnuts
  • 1/2 cup of all-purpose or whole wheat flour OR gluten-free (see notes)
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground
  • Optional: Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup of honey

Instructions

  • I like to cut my big fat chicken breasts into more manageable tenders, but don't like buying the chicken tenders at the store (texture is bleh).
  • In a large bowl (or large Ziploc, my preference), whisk the olive oil, mustard, white wine, garlic, and dried thyme together.  Add the chicken, turning to coat.  Seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to 12 hours).
    Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
  • In a shallow dish such as a baking pan or a pie dish, combine the walnuts, flour, salt, and pepper together. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shake off any excess, and place it in the flour-walnut mixture.  Make sure each side gets generously coated, and pat it down to help it stick.
  • Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) over medium heat. Add the chicken and sear for 1 minute on each side...be as careful as possible when you flip them to try and keep the coating on them.
  • Transfer the skillet to the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 15–20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through (I go with 145 F at the thickest part for chicken breasts, and closer to 165 F for chicken thighs).
  • Whisk the glaze ingredients together and serve over chicken, garnishing with fresh parsley if desired.
  • Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days.  They're still delicious though the coating gets soggy.

Notes

  1. I like to use Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose GF flour, as it has more protein and flavor than the 1:1 baking mix version