Almond Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe
We're back in Poznan, missing our family, but looking forward to the new year. To me, it's not about big, bold resolutions; it's about a return to the pleasure of a normal routine, finding the time to make better choices regarding meals and activity - all the things that are joyfully forgotten during holiday celebrations.
After finding this article on a friend's facebook wall, I'm incorporating vegetables into my diet in a big way. The article talks about using the Hunter-Gatherer Diet to combat MS. I don't have this disease, but it's hard to argue with the benefits a nine servings of vegetables and fruit a day. The question will be can I find ways to make them interesting. That will determine my success. The Chinese style veggies pictured here will be posted in a few days. Incorporating organ meat once a week; I don't know if I'm ready for that part of the diet just yet.
My husband is cutting back on carbs for a week or so to break the cycle; "do widzenia" bread, potatoes, and beer. I found a recipe that mentioned crushed pork rinds as breading for chicken breast, but alas, no pork rinds in our Polish market. I was trying to think of something to add a bit of crunch and remembered that I had sliced almonds in the pantry. Voila, the Almond Parmesan Crusted Chicken is born, and it was so tasty that we're fixing it again in a few days for dinner guests.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
Directions
Butterfly the chicken breast by laying it on a cutting board and slicing horizontally, ALMOST to the other side. Open it up and pound with a meat tenderizer (mallet) until the breast is about 1/4-inch thick
Season both sides with salt and pepper
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat
Run the almonds and Parmesan cheese in a food processor until the texture is breadcrumb-like
Spread half of the nut mixture out on a plate
Dip the chicken breast in the beaten egg
Spread the chicken out over the nuts and cheese and sprinkle the remaining nut mixture over the top side of the chicken, pat the crust to secure it to the meat
Put the chicken in the hot oil and cook until browned on both sides
Divide into two servings. You can keep this warm in a 200 degree oven (100 C) if you're fixing more than one breast
Serves: 2