|

Pistachio Crusted Chicken

This pistachio crusted chicken is a simple and undeniably delicious way to cook chicken. It’s perfectly crispy on the outside while being completely gluten and dairy-free.

This pistachio-crusted chicken is inspired by my dad. It’s something he makes when we’re all together because it continues to be a family favorite. He takes the chicken tender route, cutting them into smaller strips, whereas this recipe goes the cutlet route.

You can do either one, it’ll just depend on whether you’re feeding a crowd or a few people. Either way, it feels elegant, but is quite easy to make and uses minimal ingredients. Here’s what we used.

Ingredients

  • chicken breasts
  • shelled pistachios
  • lemon zest
  • egg
  • dijon mustard
  • honey

How to Make Pistachio Crusted Chicken

Add the shelled pistachios (and a hefty pinch of salt if your pistachios aren’t salted) to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until you’re left with a coarse breadcrumb texture. Mix in the lemon zest with your hand, and add the breading mixture to a large, rimmed plate.

Tenderize the chicken breasts by slicing them in half lengthwise. Place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap on top and pound them with a rolling pin until they’re about 1/4 inch thick.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg, mustard, and honey.

Dredge each piece of chicken into the egg mixture followed by the breading, making sure to really press the chicken into the pistachios for even coating.

Cook for a few minutes on each side until the breading has browned and the chicken is cooked through.

Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this pistachio-crusted chicken using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

  • No chicken breasts? âžť you can also use chicken thighs or pork
  • No pistachios? âžť use pecans or walnuts
  • Nut-free? âžť you can use a blend of pumpkin and sesame
  • No honey? âžť omit completely

Tools Needed

Helpful Tips

Breading Consistency

The smaller the pistachios are ground, the easier they stick to the chicken, so make sure there aren’t too many large pieces.

Avoid high heat

Cooking the chicken higher than medium heat will cause the nuts to burn faster than the chicken can finish cooking, so don’t cook it above medium heat.

Stovetop vs Oven

Although you can cook pistachio-crusted chicken in the oven, I highly recommend cooking it only on the stovetop for the best flavor overall.

Because we’re using cutlets, it’s too easy to overcook them in the oven. The stovetop also allows the pistachio breading to develop a nice toasty flavor, whereas the oven doesn’t. See the photo above for reference – the piece on the far left and the bottom were both cooked in the oven, hence their brighter hue.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Pistachio Crusted Chicken

5 from 1 vote
This pistachio-crusted chicken is a simple and undeniably delicious way to cook chicken. It's perfectly crispy on the outside while being completely gluten and dairy-free.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Serving Size 4

Ingredients
 

  • 1-1.3 pounds chicken breasts
  • 1 cup shelled pistachios
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • salt only if your pistachios aren't salted
  • olive oil for cooking the chicken

Instructions

  • Add the shelled pistachios (and a hefty pinch of salt if your pistachios aren't salted) to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until you're left with a coarse breadcrumb texture. Mix in the lemon zest with your hand, and add the breading mixture to a large, rimmed plate.
  • Tenderize the chicken breasts by slicing them in half lengthwise. Place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap on top and pound them with a rolling pin until they're about 1/4 inch thick.
  • In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg, mustard, and honey. Dredge each piece of chicken into the egg mixture followed by the breading, making sure to really press the chicken into the pistachios for even coating. 
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook each piece for a few minutes on each side until the breading has browned and the chicken is cooked through. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan.

Notes

  • How can you make this pistachio-crusted chicken using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
    • No chicken breasts? ➝ you can also use chicken thighs or pork
    • No pistachios? âžť use pecans or walnuts
    • Nut-free? âžť you can use a blend of pumpkin and sesame
    • No honey? âžť omit completely

2 Comments

  1. Sandy Davidson says:

    Hi Linz…your extra old auntie here to say we enjoyed this recipe…but I didn’t use nuts. First off, I didn’t want to shell pistachios cuz I was tired tonight. And I didn’t want to clean the food processor…so, I used your super tasty egg wash, pounded the chicken to within an inch of its life, coated it with Pablo crumbs, cooked it up in lemon flavored olive oil and served it over fresh sautéed spinach with sweet potatoes as a side dish! Love your recipes as they are so versatile and so tasty. Keep up the good work.

    1. Hi Sandy! That all sounds delicious, and definitely something I would do when I can’t be bothered with all the things. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating