The big winner of the American Pecan Recipe Contest, this Pecan Crusted Nashville Hot Chicken is served with super creamy grits and a flavorful collard greens pesto! Perfect for a weekend meal at home
This post was brought to you in partnership with American Pecans.
We love any excuse to try a new chicken recipe, especially hot chicken! A few months ago, our friends at American Pecans hosted the #NotJustPie contest on Instagram and Twitter, asking fans to pop pecans out of their pie shells and show off their best non-pie pecan recipes, and it’s clear why this Nashville Pecan Crust Hot Chicken came out on top.
Pecans, of course, The Original SupernutTM, never disappoint—they’re versatile, nutritious, and the only large tree nut native to America. And – fortunately for us – they are used in pesto, the chicken breading and the hot oil here. We’ll be dreaming about this super crispy chicken for weeks to come and have a feeling you’ll love it as much as we do!
Tips:
- The pesto can be made up to a week in advance and kept refrigerated.
- To toast the pecans, place them in a single layer in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until fragrant. Shake pan often.
- Don’t be tempted to mix the honey directly into the 1 cup oil as this will clump the spices together.
- Use gluten-free flour and gluten-free cornbread mix if desired; You may need to adjust the amount of liquid for the grits.
Visit americanpecan.com for more pecan recipes.
Award-winning Nashville Hot Chicken with a pecan crust
You can substitute chopped roasted piquillo peppers for more flavor.
ingredients
- For the chicken marinade:
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2 cups buttermilk
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1/2 cup dill pickle
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1/4 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce, such as Louisiana Hot Sauce or Crystal Louisiana’s Pure Hot Sauce
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1 tablespoon smoked paprika
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2 teaspoons of salt
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1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
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4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 24 ounces total), mashed to an even thickness
- For the pesto:
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1 cup collard greens, rinsed, de-veined and coarsely chopped and tightly packed
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1 cup thinly sliced scallions, green parts only, lightly wrapped
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1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill pickles
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2/3 cup raw pecan chunks, toasted
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1/2 cup water
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1/4 cup dill pickle
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1/4 cup pecan oil
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1/8 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- For the chicken breading:
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2 cups raw pecan chunks, toasted
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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1/8 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
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4 large egg whites, lightly beaten
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cooking spray
- For the cornbread grits:
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2 batches of prepared and chilled cornbread, homemade or made from 2 store-bought 8.5 ounce box mixes
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2 cups of reduced-fat milk
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2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
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8 ounces of reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated and brought to room temperature
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1/8 teaspoon salt
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1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
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1/2 cup pimientos
- For the hot pecan oil:
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1 cup pecan oil
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3 tablespoons cayenne pepper (or more if desired)
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2 teaspoons sweet paprika
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1 teaspoon onion powder
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/2 teaspoon chili powder
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt
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1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
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2 tablespoons of honey
- For garnish:
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dill pickle slices
special equipment
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food processor
method
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marinate chicken
In a medium glass casserole dish, whisk together buttermilk, dill pickle, hot sauce, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Add chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.
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Meanwhile, prepare the pesto
Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well in a colander and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Place kale and remaining pesto ingredients in a food processor and blend until coarse-grained. Store in the refrigerator until ready to bake the chicken.
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Prepare the chicken breading
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse the pecans until they resemble the texture of coarse cornmeal and pour into a shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper. In another separate shallow bowl, place the egg whites.
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Spread the chicken
Drain and discard chicken marinade. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Coat the chicken lightly in the flour, then the egg whites, and finally the pecans.
Place the chicken on the foil-lined baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
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Meanwhile, prepare the cornbread grits
Coarsely crumble the cornbread and place in a bowl with the milk and broth. Stir gently to moisten it. For super creamy grits, puree in a blender until there are no lumps.
Transfer this mixture to a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened like grits, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in the pimientos.
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Make the Hot Pecan Oil:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the hot oil, except the honey, until well combined. Combine 1 tablespoon of the oil mixture with the honey in a small bowl, whisk briefly and set aside.
Pour the remaining oil into a small skillet and heat over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through, whisking frequently.
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Arrange and serve:
Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of pesto around the outside rims of two serving plates. Place about 1 cup of grits in the center of each plate. Carefully place the chicken in the pan with the hot oil. Spoon more oil over it. Place a piece of chicken over each plate of grits. Drizzle the reserved honey and oil mixture over the chicken, allowing excess oil to drip over the edges. Garnish the chicken with dill pickle slices.
