Lately, my dinners have consisted of something along the lines of cereal, the salad bar, or leftover pizza. All wonderful things.
I guess it’s just not as easy for me to get creative with dinner as it is with, oh say, dessert.
But sometimes we all long for a comforting, homemade meal, right? So last night I decided to make myself just that.
adapted from Rachael Ray’s Pecan-Crusted Chicken
ingredients:
- two (3 to 4 ounce) chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cashews on a greased baking sheet, and put them in the oven until they’re toasted (just about 4 minutes for me). Let the cashews cool for a minute, and then grind them in the food processor until they reach a fine, slightly crumbly consistency. In a bowl, combine the ground cashews, flour, and salt.
Rub each chicken breast with olive oil (just about a teaspoon for each), then coat with the cashew mixture**. Place the coated chicken breasts back on the greased baking sheet, drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes.
**This recipe may be in need of a slight makeover, but only because the crust didn’t stick very well. Any suggestions for what to use other than oil for a better sticking-factor?
Besides that, though, this chicken was ridic. (Yes, that’s a technical term.) It turned out to be really juicy and tender, which went perfectly with the sweet crunch of the cashews.
I paired the chicken with a big pile of (once frozen) veggies. Hey, did you really expect me to cook the other meal components from scratch too? Baby steps 
The other thing I like about this recipe is that it only makes two servings, which is great for my fellow singletons, but it can be easily doubled too.
How often do you cook (I mean really cook) meals? What do your dinners usually look like?
I luuuuurve cashews!! I am going to try this crusted on veggies or falafel:)
Cashews go so well with anything! I just wish they weren’t so crazy expensive!
I’ve found that cashews are a lot less expensive than other nuts, though! I got a decent-sized bag from Whole Foods for 5 bucks, if I remember correctly!
Looks delish! I would try using an egg mixture instead of the oil for more sticking power.
I think you’re right. Thanks!!
This looks amazing! I love cashews – they remind me of ordering “cashew chicken stir fry” from my fave Chinese diner
Looks tasty! I love cooking and try to cook at least 3 or 4 nights a week.
That looks really good – and I can’t find a typo!
I already deleted it, haha. But I did save a print-screen of it, so maybe I’ll show you guys later
I cook maybe once or twice a week and then eat the leftovers the other days.
Your cashew chicken looks great… cashews are my favorite
I agree with using egg to make the crust stick
Definitely going to try this!
I end up cooking most nights (4-5 nights) – leftovers either never seem to happen or last long at my place
That looks awesome Gracie!
I Want to see the typo!
oh – and your chicken looks amazing
To get it to stick better, try an egg
i LOVE CASHEWS! so clever to put on chicken.. perhaps i could do this with tofu.. or beans! try using a beaten egg for the STICK factor!
Mmmmm
Egg beaters, or whole eggs, or egg whites would probably help! This looks delicious, like a spin on a Thai dish.
You could use an egg white instead of olive and see if that works better!
Since I am a broke college student
I cook all of my and my husband’s meals. And I mean ALL of them….6 per day for each of us. WHEW.
I also find it’s a lot easier for me to be creative with breakfasts and snacks than dinners and lunches. I think it’s because those are my favorite ‘meals’.
You can dip the chicken in egg white after you dredge in flour. It will definitely help!
I’m a single lady too. I cook probably 5 nights a week (the sixth and seventh are reserved for my obsession….sushi) and my dinners look like yours! A huge plate of veggies (I try to be creative and throw ‘em in different spices and cook them differently) and a chicken breast cooked in some new marinade or spice concoction i’ve mixed up. Simple yet feels like I did something
Yeah, I’d probably stick with egg whites. And if you’re looking for an extra fiber boost, grind up fiber one cereal. Makes a GREAT coating for crunch and healthiness!
I saw a recipe like this but using almonds a few months ago in Women’s Health and I really wanted to try it! Thanks for the reminder!
This looks great, I want to try it. I’m obsessed with cashews.
You can also try reduced-fat butter milk. I use that on my baked “fried” chicken. Looks tasty, I’m excited to try this!
Hey! I tried this but with almonds and I have a few tips on getting the coating to stick!
1. Coat the chicken in a beated egg ( or egg white) before dredgeing it through the coating mixture
2. Add some whole wheat breadcrumbs to the nut mixture, this helps bind it together and stick better and brown better.
3. Now this is what really helped me… Take an oven proof dish put it on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and heat it, cook the chicken about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 on the other… this instantly makes the outside crispy and crunchy!! Then transfer the chicken into the oven for about 15 minutes to cook all the way through!!
Sooo yummy!! thanks for posting this
I made this dish with some chinese vegtable stir fry on the side… yummy!
Ahh, THANK YOU Natalie!! Those are some great suggestions…I’ll definitely have to try re-making it with those changes asap