Macadamia and Herb Crusted Chicken

This recipe makes a delicious crispy crust on the chicken. You can also use it on a sturdy fish like salmon, barramundi, or halibut, or slices of tofu.I have also used slices of zucchini and eggplant with this recipe before as a great veggie option.

This recipe is a bit long, but really is not very difficult and well worth the effort. There are just a few steps to follow before you cook it and you can prepare them before hand and then cook them right before you are ready to serve.

Always use certified organic ingredients whenever possible.

·          4 Pieces of chicken breast (about 4 to 6 ounces each)

·          2 to 3 tablespoons macadamia nut, olive, or coconut oil for cooking

For the batter:

·          1/2 Cup *macadamia nut butter

·          3/4 Cups milk (you can use dairy, rice, nut, oat, or coconut milk)

·          1/2 Tablespoon *macadamia nut oil (you can use olive oil or coconut oil too)

·          1/2 Teaspoon *honey (optional)

·          ½ Teaspoon sea salt

·          Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Combine all the ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix well. (You can also blend this in a blender until well combined.)You may need a little more milk to get the mixture to the right consistency…not too thin and not too thick. The batter needs to coat the chicken so the macadamia crust will stick to it. Set the batter aside until ready to use and make the nut crust. The batter is for dipping the chicken, fish, or tofu in before you coat it with the nut crust. I like to use the left over batter to make a sauce to put over the chicken before serving or over steamed broccoli as a side dish.

For the crust:

·          1 to 1½ Cups* macadamia nuts (coarsely ground and some finer)

·          1 Cup fresh spinach leaves

·          ½ Cup fresh herbs (you can use a mixture of parsley, cilantro, and mint or just one kind)

·          ½ Teaspoon sea salt

·          Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

·          Red pepper flakes (to taste optional)

·          A few fresh herb leaves and macadamia nut pieces to sprinkle over the chicken for serving.

This crust is best made in a food processor, but I have made it in a strong blender too, but the nuts don’t grind as well. If you use a blender you need to make the crust in at least 3 batches. Place all the crust ingredients in the food processor and blend until the spinach and herbs are blended in well and the nuts are ground. Place the nut mixture in a shallow baking dish or bowl.

To make the chicken:

Place the batter mixture in a shallow baking dish or bowl. Dip the chicken or whatever you are using in the batter one piece at a time and then dip the battered chicken in the nut crust mixture and roll it around to coat. I then press the nut mixture lightly onto the chicken to make sure it is coated well. Place each piece on a plate until you have them all coated. You can cook them right away or refrigerate until ready to cook. When ready to cook preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Then heat a medium large sauté pan on medium high heat and add the oil for cooking and heat for about 1 minute. Then add the coated chicken pieces and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Be careful not to burn. Remove from heat and place the chicken in an ovenproof baking dish and place it in the oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking. Check one piece to make sure it is cooked through. Cooking time will vary a little depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces. If you are serving with the sauce re-heat the sauce while the chicken is in the oven and serve on the side or over veggies. Serve with your favourite grain dish and a green salad. The chicken is also great served the next day cold or re-heated.