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–+ servings
Sliced pecan-crusted chicken breast topped with a drizzle of hot honey.

Baked Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast Recipe with Hot Honey Drizzle

Crispy, crunchy, and kissed with sweet heat—this pecan crusted chicken with hot honey is Southern comfort food made easy. Perfect for dinner tonight!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Soak in buttermilk 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 428 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken breasts about ½ inch thick
  • ½ cup pecan meal, or very finely chopped pecans
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg, beaten, large or extra large
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup hot honey, purchased or homemade

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Prepare the buttermilk soak: Whisk together the buttermilk and beaten egg in a shallow dish. Add the chicken breasts and let them soak for at least 10 minutes.
  • Make the pecan coating: In another dish, mix pecan meal, flour, paprika, salt, and pepper.
  • Coat the chicken: Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece in the pecan mixture until fully coated.
  • Prepare the baking dish: Melt butter in a 13x9-inch baking dish in the oven. Then, place the coated chicken in the melted butter, turning each piece to coat both sides.
  • Add the crunch: Sprinkle the coarsely chopped pecans over the top of each chicken breast, pressing lightly to adhere.
  • Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F as read by an instant-read thermometer.
  • Drizzle with hot honey just before serving.

Notes

If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
No pecan meal? Pulse whole pecans in a food processor, but be careful not to over-process them into a paste.
Even thickness is key. If your chicken breasts are thick or uneven, pound them out with a meat mallet or rolling pin to ensure even cooking.
Use a thermometer! Cook to 165°F for perfect results; don’t just rely on the cooking time shown.
If using purchased hot honey, unless you love highly spiced food, I recommend opting for regular hot honey, not the extra hot option. You can also use regular honey. 

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 51gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 194mgSodium: 576mgPotassium: 944mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 481IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 2mg
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