Pistachio Crusted Chicken

in Chicken & Turkey, Quick & Easy

To get into our weeknight dinner rotation, I have two requirements. The recipe must:
– Require as little prep time as possible, especially on Mondays and Wednesdays because those are our TV nights.
– Get as few dishes dirty as possible because doing dishes is the worst chore in the world.

That last one is a toughie. I’m probably the most inefficient person in the kitchen when it comes to utensils and dishes. I seem to have the unfortunate gift of being able to consistently fill the sink full of dishes even if we have cereal or sandwiches. I can empty most of my cabinets, the knife block, and half the utensil drawer for labor-intensive meals. Two people, one meal, three loads of dishes. Gah.

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken does get a few dishes dirty, but it’s really so very easy. Chicken goes into a baggie with crushed pistachios. Zip, shake, and bake. It’s pretty much lazy-on-a-plate. So I make it a lot.

Pistachios are my husband’s favorite snack so we always have them on hand in some form: shelled, unshelled, salted, darn-I-bought-unsalted. If I don’t have shelled pistachios, my husband will handle shelling duties. Best sous chef ever, though it does take a while to get enough pistachios with the shell-one/eat-one method. But really, as long as I don’t have to do it, I don’t care 🙂

Pistachio-Crusted Chicken

Chicken breasts baked with a seasoned pistachio crust.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pistachios, shelled
  • Salt (if pistachios are unsalted)
  • Ground black pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 Chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425.
  2. Run pistachios through the food processor for 15-20 seconds, until coarsely ground into small and medium-sized pieces.
  3. Pour nuts into a large baggie and season with salt and peppers.
  4. Drop chicken breasts into the baggie, seal, and shake until coated.
  5. Place on a rack set in a baking sheet and bake until center temperature reaches 170 degrees (15-18 minutes in my oven).

Notes

Yields: 2 servings

Adapted from the South Beach Diet Cookbook

Estimated time: 30 minutes

11 comments… add one
  • Love your requirements, haha 😀 And love pistachios!!

  • I’m the same way! I dirty SO many dishes, and really quite clumsy in the kitchen regarding making messes. 🙂

  • I’m so making these sometime within the week. I have made a version with pecans but I have pistachios (shelled) sitting in my pantry begging to be eaten!

  • Looks good – I’m always looking for new chicken dishes! Love the cayenne in there.

  • I like the sound of a pistachio crusted chicken.

  • I agree – doing dishes is the worst chore! Your chicken looks really fantastic.

  • Great recipe!! I love pistachios!

  • Pistachios are one of my favorite snacks too. Great to have a recipe to use them in as well. Maybe when they’re all smashed up and stuck to a piece of chicken even my nut hating kids and husband will eat them.

  • This looks so tasty. I’ve been looking for a pistachio recipe for a while!
    I have a newish cooking blog, do you mind if I adapt and add it to my blog? I’ll link back to you of course.

  • Carlee

    I’m making a wilted spinach salad for a little dinner party with the girls, and I’m pretty sure this chicken will be flipping phenomenal sliced on top! Yay for a delicious and healthy option!!

  • Yogi4life

    The pistachio crusted chicken was so yummy and so simple!!! Thank you!!!!

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