Healthy pecan crusted chicken tenders are coated with a crunchy pecan crust and one of my favorite ways to make chicken that the whole family will love for a quick dinner. The pecan mixture is made with simple ingredients and becomes a crispy coating on these chicken strips, with an addicting texture and flavor.
The best way to make these chicken fingers and give them a golden brown crust is in the air fryer. The end result is juicy, tender chicken with a crunchy pecan crust full of nutty flavor. I much prefer a pecan coating over regular breadcrumbs! I love serving these pecan chicken tenders with veggie side dishes like ranch roasted cauliflower, crispy broccoli, candied brussels sprouts, or strawberry goat cheese salad! And don't forget a honey mustard sauce to dip the chicken tenders in!
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Equipment
- Air fryer - the cooking time and temperature may vary based on which type of air fryer you use. You can make them in the oven or pan fry them, but the air fryer gives the best results! Juicy chicken with a crispy pecan crust with zero additional cooking fat (like olive oil) required.
- Air fryer basket - this is the ideal piece of equipment to cook the air fryer chicken tenders on, as air is able to circulate all around the meat.
- Aluminum foil - I recommend wrapping a small baking sheet in foil and placing it at the bottom of the air fryer (if you have one like the Breville) to catch any drippings that may fall of the tenders as they cook.
- Medium bowl - a medium-sized bowl (~1-3 quarts) is perfect for making the egg wash to dip the raw chicken tenders in before the pecan coating.
- Shallow dish - a large shallow dish (like a plate with curled edges) is ideal for spreading the pecan bread crumb mixture in before coating the chicken. It will allow you place multiple tenders in the mixture at once to be more efficient!
- Fork - a fork is an efficient way to transfer the chicken tenders from the package to the egg wash to the pecan bread crumbs to the air fryer basket. You could also use tongs if you prefer!
- Metal tongs - metal tongs are great for removing the hot chicken tenders from the air fryer to a plate before enjoying!
Healthy Pecan Crusted Chicken Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken tenderloins - I prefer buying the chicken that is already cut into tenderloins just for ease of making these pecan-crusted chicken tenders, but you could buy skinless chicken breasts and slice it yourself! I haven't tried this recipe with chicken thighs, but I could see them being delicious as well!
- Pecans - pecans make delicious bread crumbs. They have a nutty flavor and retain so much moisture in this chicken recipe. They're a good source of unsaturated fat (LINK) too!
- Eggs - the key to getting the pecan crust to stick is eggs.
- Almond flour - this contributes some more nutty flavor but also helps to bind the breading together. You can substitute white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour if you'd like!
- Seasonings - seasonings like garlic powder, salt, and chili powder give these tenders amazing flavor without overpowering the pecans!
How to Make Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders
1: Place the pecans in a blender or food processor and pulse until the pecans turn into coarse crumbs. You may need to do this in two batches - it's important to not over chop/blend here! Fine crumbs are okay but the nuts may turn into pecan butter if you blend for too long.
Pro tip: Pull the chicken tenders out of the refrigerator as you prepare the breading and preheat the air fryer. Bringing them as close to room temperature as you can will result in more even cooking because the center won't be as cold! *Just note, you don't want raw chicken to sit out at room temperature for too long as foodborne bacteria can grow.
2: Pour the pecans into a shallow dish along with the almond flour, salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Whisk until combined and set aside.
3: In a medium bowl, crack eggs and scramble.
4: Place 3-4 (or all) of the raw chicken tenders in the egg mixture and toss them around so the beaten egg coats each piece.
5: Using a fork, transfer one chicken tender at a time to the shallow dish with the pecan mixture in it until the plate is mostly full. Be sure to leave room to actually coat the chicken fingers!
6: Once coated, using the same fork, transfer the breaded chicken to the air fryer basket (I recommend spraying it with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the bottom pecan coating from sticking!). Evenly space out the chicken tenders in a single layer to allow for maximum crispiness.
7: Cook at 425 degrees Fahrenheit until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. In my air fryer, it takes ~14-16 minutes.
Variations & Substitutions
- You could add a teaspoon of onion powder in addition to the rest of the seasonings if you'd like!
- If you like the flavor of Italian bread crumbs, you can add any dried herbs like rosemary, parsley, and oregano to the pecan breading too!
- You can use white whole wheat or all-purpose flour in lieu of almond flour if you'd like!
- I haven't tried other nuts in place of pecans, but other ideas could be: peanut crusted chicken, almond crusted chicken, walnut crusted chicken, or even cashew crusted chicken tenders!
Pro Tips
- Pull the chicken tenders out of the refrigerator as you prepare the breading and preheat the air fryer. Bringing them as close to room temperature as you can will result in more even cooking because the center won't be as cold! *Just note, you don't want raw chicken to sit out at room temperature for too long as foodborne bacteria can grow.
- Be sure to not over chop/blend the pecans! They may turn into pecan butter if you turn on the blender or food processor and just let it go. Pulsing them is the way to go! It may be best to split the pecans in half and chop one half a time.
- Once cooked, you can place pecan crusted chicken tenders on a plate using metal tongs and let cool for 5-10 minutes. You can line the plate with paper towels if you want, but since there's no cooking oil, these chicken fingers aren't greasy at all!
Storing, Reheating, & Serving Pecan Crusted Chicken
- STORAGE: Store any leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- REHEATING: The best way to reheat the chicken is to place the tenders back in the air fryer to let them crisp up again! You can also reheat them in the oven on a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper).
- SERVING: These pecan crusted chicken tenders are best served and enjoyed fresh for optimal crispiness. I love serving these with ranch roasted cauliflower, crispy broccoli, candied brussels, or on top of a strawberry goat cheese salad or broccoli and brussels slaw!
Pecan crusted chicken tenders Q&A
I love these pecan crusted chicken tenders because the pecan breading retains so much moisture in the chicken! I also recommend not overcooking them, as this can dry them out. Using a meat thermometer can help prevent this from happening!
You want to blend/process/chop the pecan halves until they are a fine powder (like sand) with some small pieces still visible.
The best way to use an egg wash. Dip the raw chicken tenders in an egg wash, then into the breading before cooking. You can also pat the raw chicken with paper towels before putting in the egg to dry them off and remove excess moisture.
Depending on how close to the top of the air fryer you place the air fryer basket, the tops of the breaded chicken tenders may burn slightly. I recommend placing the basket in the middle of the air fryer to prevent excessive burning!
Absolutely! The cooking time and temperature may vary based on the air fryer you're using and how large the chicken breasts are. I would highly recommend using a meat thermometer in this instance and sticking it in the thickest part of the meat to ensure the centers of the chicken is cooked.
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Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders
Healthy pecan crusted chicken tenders are coated with a crunchy pecan crust and one of my favorite ways to make chicken that the whole family will love for a quick dinner. The pecan mixture is made with simple ingredients and becomes a crispy coating on these chicken strips, with an addicting texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 10 tenders 1x
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 1 ½ cups (191g) pecan halves
- ¼ cup (29g) almond flour
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Pull chicken out of fridge and let sit on the counter (keep it in its packaging) while you prep the rest of the ingredients.*
- Place pecans in a food processor or blender and chop until they become fine crumbs with some small pieces.
- Mix pecan crumbs, almond flour, salt, and chili powder in a shallow bowl or plate.
- In a separate small bowl, scramble eggs.
- Place the air fryer wire basket next to the pecan mix. Dishes should be in this order: raw chicken tenderloins, egg, pecan breading, wire basket.
- Preheat air fryer to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dip 3-4 chicken tenders in egg wash then coat in pecan mix. Place on wire rack and repeat until all tenders are well coated.
- Cook for 14-16 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Once tenders are cooked, place on plate/baking sheet to cool.
- Enjoy with a honey mustard dipping sauce, on top of a salad, or with roasted veggies and a starch!
Notes
*Letting the chicken get to room temperature before cooking will allow for even cooking. However, I wouldn't let it sit out at room temperature for longer than while you're prepping the breading as this can increase the risk of foodborne illness.
- STORAGE: Store any leftover chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- REHEATING: The best way to reheat the chicken is to place the tenders back in the air fryer to let them crisp up again! You can also reheat them in the oven on a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper).
- SERVING: These pecan crusted chicken tenders are best served and enjoyed fresh for optimal crispiness. I love serving these with ranch roasted cauliflower, crispy broccoli, candied brussels, or on top of a strawberry goat cheese salad or broccoli and brussels slaw!
- Be sure to not over chop/blend the pecans! They may turn into pecan butter if you turn on the blender or food processor and just let it go. Pulsing them is the way to go! It may be best to split the pecans in half and chop one half a time.
- Once cooked, you can place pecan crusted chicken tenders on a plate using metal tongs and let cool for 5-10 minutes. You can line the plate with paper towels if you want, but since there's no cooking oil, these chicken fingers aren't greasy at all!
- You could add a teaspoon of onion powder in addition to the rest of the seasonings if you'd like!
-
If you like the flavor of Italian bread crumbs, you can add any dried herbs like rosemary, parsley, and oregano to the pecan breading too!
- You can use white whole wheat or all-purpose flour in lieu of almond flour if you'd like!
- I haven't tried other nuts in place of pecans, but other ideas could be: peanut crusted chicken, almond crusted chicken, walnut crusted chicken, or even cashew crusted chicken tenders!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tender
- Calories: 234
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 284
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 24
- Cholesterol: 81
Keywords: Pecan crusted chicken breast recipe, pecan crusted chicken, healthy pecan crusted chicken, pecan chicken, pecan crusted chicken recipe
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