Pampered Chef Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Sweet Mustard Dressing

Are you stuck for a mid-week dinner idea? I know it's hard to come home from work and prepare something healthy and delicious for your family.  Here's a tasty dish that you can whip up in about a half hour.

It's the pecan-crusted chicken with sweet mustard dressing, from Pampered Chef's 29 Minutes to Dinner cookbook.  It's crunchy, sweet, salty, and easy.




Start by trimming the tendon from about a pound of boneless, skinless chicken tenders (if you can't find the tenders you can slice chicken breasts into strips).  Mine were a little on the large side.  Next time I make these, I'd slice them lengthwise again for thinner, smaller strips.  Then combine half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a small bowl, and sprinkle the mixture over the chicken tenders.

Chop one and a half cups of pecans until fine, either with a food chopper or a food processor.  Beat an egg white in a shallow bowl or coating tray.

Dip the chicken into the egg white, then coat with the chopped pecans.  I didn't chop my pecans finely enough, so I didn't get very good "coverage."

Add a quarter cup of vegetable oil to a skillet (I really suggest non-stick and reduce the oil to about two tablespoons) and heat for 1-3 minutes over medium low heat.  Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side until a deep golden brown color and the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare the salad and mustard dressing.

Whisk together a quarter cup of peach preserves (I used my own peach preserves, slightly pulverized, from last summer's peach canning adventures), two tablespoons of stone-ground mustard, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, a quarter teaspoon each of salt and coarse black pepper, a glove of pressed garlic, and two tablespoons over vegetable or light olive oil.

Toss about two tablespoons of the dressing with four cups of mixed baby greens, romaine, or baby spinach.

Serve the salad and chicken with the remaining dressing on the side for dipping.