Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast

Name: Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 85 min
Yield: 2 chicken breasts
Ingredients: 5 cloves garlic, crushed; 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme; 2 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; cayenne pepper to taste; 1 ½ cups finely chopped walnuts; 1 tablespoon olive oil, or to taste; ½ cup chicken broth; 2 teaspoons honey

Rating: 4.17 stars

18 Ratings
13 Reviews
9 Photos

I almost never order a nut-crusted entree in a restaurant, as they often feature a sugary glaze or a too-sweet nut, like pecan or macadamia. That's not an issue here since we're going with buttery, subtly bitter walnuts, held on with a very savory 'nut glue,' made with a garlic and mustard base. This protective layer of deliciousness makes boneless, skinless chicken breast taste like it was just carved off a freshly roasted carcass.

By Chef John

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Recipe Summary

prep:

20 mins

cook:

35 mins

additional:

1 hr 30 mins

total:

2 hrs 25 mins

Servings:

Yield:

2 chicken breasts

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

Mix garlic, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and thyme together in a bowl to make the "nut glue."

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Step 2

Season chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Spread nut glue all over the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Step 3

Toss walnuts over the chicken, press down firmly, and repeat on the other side to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Step 5

Coat the bottom of an oven-proof skillet with some olive oil. Place chicken breasts on top, reserving excess nuts if desired. Season with a pinch of salt and drizzle more olive oil on top.
Step 6

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until walnuts are lightly toasted and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast reads 150 degrees F (66 degrees C), about 25 minutes.
Step 7

Quickly remove chicken to a plate to rest. Transfer skillet to the stovetop; stir in broth, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and honey and bring to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon pan sauce over and around the chicken to serve.

Chef's Notes:

You can prep the chicken hours ahead if you prefer.

Be careful taking the pan out of the oven and keep the handle covered with a towel or mitt at all times.

Editor's Note:

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of walnut coating. The actual amount of coating consumed will vary.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

474 calories; protein 30.7g 61% DV; carbohydrates 13g 4% DV; fat 34.8g 54% DV; cholesterol 65.4mg 22% DV; sodium 523.5mg 21% DV. Full Nutrition

Reviews (13)

Most helpful positive review

Diane Smith

02/12/2020

Did not refrigerate. Did pound the chicken because the breasts were so large. Chicken was super moist and tasty. My husband said it was a hit! Read More

Helpful

(5)

Most helpful critical review

Marge KL

05/15/2020

I made this exactly as stated in the recipe and my husband (who eats almost anything) and I did not like this at all. I am trying to find more heart healthy recipes, but the dijon mustard was not a seasoning I usually use..... am not likely to use again. Sorry, but I consider myself a really good cook.... this just didn't make the grade. I hope others have a different experience. Read More

18 Ratings

5 star values: 11
4 star values: 2
3 star values: 3
2 star values: 1
1 star values: 1

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Diane Smith

02/12/2020

Did not refrigerate. Did pound the chicken because the breasts were so large. Chicken was super moist and tasty. My husband said it was a hit! Read More

Helpful

(5)

Marilyn

11/26/2019

Wowza! I was looking for a new recipe to try with some chicken breasts and used the ingredients search tool. I didn't have to look far at all when I came across this recipe. Having a detailed video to watch is always a nice bonus... and your helpful tips are always appreciated! I loved that this recipe had few ingredients but maximum flavour and a neat method to "glue" the nuts to the chicken! The family really enjoyed it!! The only thing I might try differently next time is to cut the chicken breasts in 2 or 3 pieces before coating (which will likely require double the coating ingredients). Looking forward to making this again! Read More

Helpful

(3)

CookingMichelle

02/15/2020

This recipe was recommended to me on YouTube and it's the one that introduced me to Chef John. I've made it more than once and it's really good. I also like the jokes and now I'm a big Chef John fan. Read More

Helpful

(1)

KansasGuy2012

01/08/2020

This chicken recipe was delicious and the sauce was great. I added some butter to the sauce with finely chopped, almost grated walnuts to add some thickness and flavor. I will defiantly be making again. *I didn't refrigerate cause I didn't have time* Read More

Helpful

(1)

Kevin G

08/01/2020

Made it without making any changes. Didn't care for the bitterness of the dijon, wasn't balanced enough by the sweetness of the honey. Chef John has come through on so many recipes for me, this one just wasn't one of them. Read More

Miss Marilyn

08/28/2020

it was okay... not very crispy and not up to the "tastiness" of Chef John's amazing recipes... Read More

Kevin Mackay

11/05/2019

Well done Chef John well done Read More

Cindy Sherry-Cassel

03/30/2020

This was amazing! In a fit of hunger,r and because I LOVE nuts, I doubled the nut glue/chopped nuts and coated both sides. My only hesitation is that the cooking time was a little off. I used chicken tenderloins and they didn't reach the 150° temp as quickly. But a short shot in the microwave solved that problem and dinner was on the table. I served this dish with Parmesan Green Beans and carrots and it. was.elegant! Read More

Marge KL

05/15/2020

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Nutritional Information

Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast

Servings Per Recipe: 4
Calories: 473.7

% Daily Value *

protein: 61 %

carbohydrates: 4 %

exchange other carbs:

dietary fiber: 12 %

sugars:

fat: 54 %

saturated fat: 20 %

cholesterol: 22 %

vitamin a iu: 1 %

niacin equivalents: 129 %

vitamin b6: 46 %

vitamin c: 4 %

folate: 12 %

calcium: 6 %

iron: 12 %

magnesium: 33 %

potassium: 11 %

sodium: 21 %

thiamin: 21 %

calories from fat:

percent of calories from carbs:

percent of calories from fat:

percent of calories from protein:

percent of calories from sat fat:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Reviews for: Photos of Walnut-Crusted Chicken Breast

1 of 13

All Reviews

Diane Smith

02/12/2020

Did not refrigerate. Did pound the chicken because the breasts were so large. Chicken was super moist and tasty. My husband said it was a hit!

Helpful

(5)

Marilyn

11/26/2019

Helpful

(3)

CookingMichelle

02/15/2020

This recipe was recommended to me on YouTube and it's the one that introduced me to Chef John. I've made it more than once and it's really good. I also like the jokes and now I'm a big Chef John fan.

Helpful

(1)

KansasGuy2012