Pecan Chicken With Maple Pecan Sauce

This is sooooo easy and tasty. Good enough for company too. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans for a fantastic meal.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (1 1/4lb)  boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 1  egg
• 1 2⁄3 cups pecans, finely chopped
• 1⁄3 cup  fine cracker crumb (use seasoned of your choice, or plain, I like Ritz)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons butter, melted

• Maple Pecan Sauce

• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄3 cup maple syrup
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 1  teaspoon soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon orange zest
• 1⁄3 cup pecan pieces, toasted

Directions

1. To toast pecan pieces, bake in 375F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Keep oven preheated.
3. For chicken: In a shallow bowl, mix together buttermilk and egg.
4. Place chicken breasts in buttermilk mixture.
5. In a second mixing bowl, combine pecans, cracker crumbs and salt.
6. Turn chicken breasts in buttermilk, then coat with pecan mixture.
7. Place chicken breasts in a greased shallow baking dish and drizzle with melted butter.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside.
9. Serve with Maple Pecan Sauce.
10. Maple Pecan Sauce: In a small saucepan, mix sugar, maple syrup, water, soy sauce and cornstarch; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
11. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and orange rind; stir.
12. Just before serving, bring sauce to a boil; remove from heat and stir in toasted pecans.
13. Makes 1 cup.