Pecan-crusted apple cider brined chicken breast with brussel sprout apple slaw.
Juicy panko pecan-crusted chicken served with a sweet-savory apple grain mustard slaw. You can build on the fall flavors of this dish by adding a side of mashed sweet potatoes made simply with cream and butter.
This chicken not only gets flavor from the tasty pecan crust but also from the apple cider brine. The brine is simple apple cider, maple syrup, mustard, and a little peppercorn. The brine is heated and cooled to meld the flavors together before adding the chicken. The chicken gets brined for 3-12 hours. Preferably around 8, but no more than 12 hours. After 12 hours, the chicken will start to dry out.
Once all that good flavor is in the chicken, you want to keep it yummy. The first way to do that is to add a little bit of butter when browning the chicken. The second is to use a wire rack when baking. It keeps the crust from getting soggy during baking. Another tip is to use a spatula when turning and moving the chicken. This step keeps the breading intact.
Pecan Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
Cider Brine
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorn
- 10 each chicken breast
Breading
- 2 cup chopped pecans
- 3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 each eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- oil as needed
- 1/2 stick butter
Apple Slaw
- 5 1/2 cup apples julienne (about 4)
- 4 cup brussel sprouts shaved
- 1/2 cup shallot julienne (1 large)
- 1 3/4 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup mayo
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
Cider Brine
- Add all of the ingredients, except chicken, to a pot and bring to a boil. Cool completely, then add the chicken and refrigerate. Brine for 3-12 hours. Rinse and pat dry.
Breading
- Place flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Place the eggs in another shallow dish and whisk until well combined. Mix the pecans and breadcrumbs and place in a third dish.
- Coat the chicken in flour, shake off any excess. Dip the chicken in egg, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan. Heat a large skillet with oil and a pat of butter. When the butter starts to foam add the chicken to the pan. Brown on both sides and place on the wire rack. Wipe out the pan and repeat the process until all the chicken has been browned. Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. About 20 minutes. Serve with the slaw.
Apple Slaw
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate. Mix less than 30 minutes before serving to keep the slaw from getting soggy.
