This easy and delicious walnut and herb crusted chicken recipe is a staple in our household. You'll have dinner on the table in 20 minutes flat! 🙂
Herb crusted chicken - the tips and tricks
So there's a little magic here, and it'll have your kitchen smelling delicious in about one minute. 😉 Plus, a healthy garlic herb chicken dish to follow shortly thereafter.
First, the (minimal) prep steps.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat--butter or coconut oil work too!
Next, in one shallow bowl, add a little Dijon mustard.
In a second bowl, add some finely chopped walnuts, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and give everything a little mix.
Add the chicken thighs (boneless and skinless) to the mustard bowl and use your hands to mix and coat all surfaces of the chicken. Then, one by one, add each thigh to the walnut and seasonings bowl, coat, and add to the pan smooth side down.
Now here's the part where your kitchen will smell divine.
Pan roasting chicken thighs
Roast the chicken thighs in the oil for about 3-4 minutes on the first side, take a peek, and turn each thigh over when the bottom side is just roasted to a medium brown.
Cover the pan, lower the heat slightly, and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. You can also slice through one of the thicker sections just to make sure the meat is cooked through.
And voila! This walnut crusted chicken is ready to go and will have your family or guests asking for seconds. Oh, and yes--this one is absolutely kid-friendly and approved (assuming no nut allergies of course.)
Tip: Pair this one with some mixed greens, roasted cauliflower or Asian sautéed Swiss chard, and a baked sweet potato and call it a meal. If you're looking for a little extra zing, try this honey lime cilantro pesto to top things off. This is one of my favorite gluten-free and paleo-friendly dinners. 🙂
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Walnut and Herb Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil or use butter or coconut oil
- ⅓ cup walnuts finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 medium boneless skinless chicken thighs
Instructions
- Prep: Heat the oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard to a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Finely chop the walnuts if necessary and add to a second mixing bowl; then add the spices, salt and pepper and mix to incorporate with the walnuts.
- Coat: Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the Dijon mustard and use your hands to mix and coat all surfaces of the chicken. One by one, dip and coat each thigh in the walnut and spice mixture and place in the skillet smooth side down.
- Cook: Cook the chicken in the oil for 4-5 minutes until browned on the underside. Flip each thigh over, reduce the heat to medium low, and cover. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the juices run clear using either a fork or sharp knife to test. If necessary, flip once more to cook through.
- Enjoy: Serve immediately and top with any remaining walnuts in the skillet. Enjoy!
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