This delicious and crispy keto maple pecan crusted chicken is a full flavored, hearty dinner. Rich in flavor, yet simple to make!
Keto Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken
Dinner is one of my favorite meals to make. I like to spend time creating something so delicious that it puts a smile on all my kids’ faces. Ok, ok, maybe that is stretching it a bit as it is pretty hard to satisfy ALL my 5 kids in one sitting, but this keto maple pecan crusted chicken was one of those rare occasions!
Not only does this taste amazing when you eat it hot for dinner, but it also stores well and warms up great for lunch the next day.
I know sometimes people shy away from baking any sort of breaded or crusted chicken because the task of making it seems daunting.
Let me assure you that this maple pecan chicken is not only easy to make but will taste like you spent hours in the kitchen. Great for guests!
How to Make Keto Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place coconut flour in a flat bowl or plate and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs and maple syrup together until very well combined. Set aside.
In a food processor, combine pecans, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and pepper. Pulse 2-3 times and set aside.
Prepare chicken by wrapping both sides in plastic wrap. Pound chicken with a meat tenderizer to flatten to about ½ inch thick.
Salt and pepper both sides.
Coat entire chicken breast first in coconut flour, then the egg mixture and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
Sprinkle on pecans until the entire top half of the chicken is coated.
Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until coating is golden brown and chicken internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Garnish with fresh thyme and enjoy.
How to Have Moist Chicken Breasts
One of the biggest complaints with chicken breasts is that they often dry out during baking. There are several reasons for that.
- The chicken breasts are cooked at too low of a temperature for too long.
- The chicken breasts are too thick.
In this recipe, we bake the chicken at 400 degrees which is the perfect baking temperature for chicken in my experience.
If your chicken breasts are thicker, you can either pound them down a bit or slice them horizontally to make 2 thinner breasts out of a thicker one.
But as is the case in this recipe, we prefer to pound them down. It also makes them more tender.
Is this Keto Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken Crunchy?
You bet it is! But not TOO crunchy. You can control the crunch by how large of pieces you make your pecans. I don’t like them too crushed because then it is more like a breading.
I prefer small pieces that provide just the right amount of crunch in every bite!
What to Serve Paleo Pecan Crusted Chicken With?
My favorite way to eat this chicken is over a bed of greens! Simply and tasty.
But if you like your sides ON the side instead of underneath, then pair this lovely chicken with keto broccoli and cheese casserole or a keto bacon Brussel Sprout’s casserole or how about a warm and fluffy keto roll?
All good choices!
Other Keto Dinner Recipes From The Keto Option
Keto Maple Pecan Crusted Chicken (Paleo)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chicken breasts ~4-6 pieces
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons sugar free maple syrup
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh thyme optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place coconut flour in a flat bowl or plate and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs and maple syrup together until very well combined. Set aside.
- In a food processor, combine pecans, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt and pepper. Pulse 2-3 times and set aside.
- Prepare chicken by wrapping both sides in plastic wrap. Pound chicken with a meat tenderizer to flatten to about ½ inch thick.
- Salt and pepper both sides.
- Coat entire chicken breast first in coconut flour, then the egg mixture and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle on pecans until the entire top half of the chicken is coated. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until coating is golden brown and chicken internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Trina Krug is a Holistic Nutritionist, Integrative Health Coach and host of the Carbless Conversations Podcast. With a Master’s Degree in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, her single mission in life is to facilitate self-healing in herself and those around her through awareness, lifestyle shifts and low-carb eating. As a current Doctor of Science student, she continues her studies in functional nutrition.