Description
Crispy pistachio parmesan chicken brings together crunchy nuts, salty cheese, and tender meat that makes dinner feel special without much fuss. Your kitchen fills with an amazing aroma while this comes together quickly, and everyone at your table gets a restaurant-quality meal that tastes way better than it sounds to make.
Ingredients
Scale
Coating and Seasonings:
- 1 cup unsalted pistachios
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¾ teaspoons onion powder
- ¾ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Protein and Binding:
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon cooking spray
Cream Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¾ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 450°F and position a baking rack over a sheet pan, then lightly spray the rack with cooking spray.
- Take your 2 large chicken breasts and carefully slice each one horizontally to create 4 even fillets, patting them dry with paper towels as you go.
- Process 1 cup of unsalted pistachios in a food processor until finely ground, then transfer them to a bowl and mix in ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ¾ tsp onion powder, ¾ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
- Whisk your 2 lightly beaten eggs in a separate bowl for dipping.
- Dip each chicken fillet into the egg mixture, coating both sides, then press it firmly into your pistachio mixture so the coating adheres well.
- Arrange your coated fillets on the prepared baking rack and give them a light spray of cooking spray before placing them in the oven.
- Bake at 450°F for 18-20 minutes, flipping the fillets halfway through at the 9-10 minute mark, until your chicken is cooked through and the coating turns crispy.
- Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tsp minced garlic, stirring until it becomes fragrant.
- Stir 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp honey into the garlic, then pour in ½ cup heavy cream and ½ cup chicken broth.
- Season your sauce with ¾ tsp Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to your taste, then let it simmer for about 5 minutes until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Transfer your crispy chicken to a serving plate and drizzle the warm sauce over top, finishing with fresh parsley garnish if you’d like.
Notes
- Ground pistachios should be fine but not powdery, so pulse them carefully in your food processor to avoid turning them into butter.
- Patting the chicken completely dry helps the egg coating stick better and ensures your crust gets crispier in the oven.
- Pressing the pistachio mixture firmly onto each fillet as you dredge it prevents the coating from falling off during baking.
- If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, slice them thinner so they cook through evenly without the coating burning on the outside.
- The cream sauce works well for this dish, but serve it on the side rather than on top if you prefer to keep your coating at maximum crispness.
- This recipe adapts easily for gluten-free diets since all the main components are naturally free of gluten already.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 690 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 580 mg
- Fat: 48 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 33 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 57 g
- Cholesterol: 270 mg