I found myself standing in front of the open refrigerator yesterday at 5:30 with a package of chicken breasts in my hand, wishing I could think of something new to do with them.
Then I remembered this recipe. It was developed by the Cooking Light test kitchen for my book Cooking Light Dinnertime Survival Guide: Feed Your Family. Save Your Sanity.
It’s a healthier riff on fried chicken, with a nutty coating and a decadent-tasting drizzle of honey.
I forgot how good this recipe is. My ten year old declared it “awesome” and had two helpings. And it’s fast: about 15 minutes of hands-on time if you’ve pre-chopped the cashews and rosemary (save time by tossing them together in a mini-chopper–this is the one I have and LOVE).
You start by soaking the chicken in a mixture of Dijon mustard and buttermilk (I like using a pie plate for this). Meanwhile, cook the panko in a skillet for a few minutes to achieve a golden color. Then combine the panko, chopped cashews, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a dish. Dredge the milk-coated chicken in the mixture and place on a sprayed cooling rack set inside a baking pan. When it’s done baking, drizzle a teaspoon of honey over each cutlet and serve.
When it comes to weeknight dinners, I’m all about using what you have and getting it done. So…
- If you have chicken breasts instead of cutlets, slice them in half horizontally. Then place a piece of plastic wrap over each piece and pound them with a mallet (or press firmly with the heel of your hand) to flatten.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, use regular milk.
- If you don’t have cashews, use the nuts you have on hand.
- If you want a less spicy coating, leave out the ground red pepper.
- If you don’t have time to cook the panko, skip that step.
Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken
This oven-fried chicken features a nutty coating and decadent drizzle of honey.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 4-ounce chicken cutlets
- 1/3 cup whole-wheat panko, Japanese breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup finely chopped dry-roasted cashews
- 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- Cooking spray
- 4 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Combine buttermilk and mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.
- Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, cashews, and next 4 ingredients (through ground red pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture; dredge in panko mixture.
- Arrange chicken on a wire rack coated with cooking spray in a foil-lined jelly-roll pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until chicken is done. Drizzle each cutlet with 1 teaspoon honey.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 248Saturated Fat: 1.8gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 375mgCarbohydrates: 15.1gFiber: 1.1gProtein: 27.4g
For another chicken recipe from Dinnertime Survival Guide, check out these Easy BBQ Chicken Kebabs.
