Bourbon-Pecan Chicken
Updated
Updated
Featuring pecan-crusted chicken breasts topped with an irresistible sweet and savory brown sugar bourbon sauce, this Bourbon Pecan Chicken is tender and juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It’s the perfect balance of flavor and texture that will have you begging for more!
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Adding bourbon to recipes is a delicious way to take a basic sauce, marinade, or glaze and add a unique twist to it with deep flavor, as seen here in my bourbon honey butter, bourbon BBQ sauce, and, of course, bourbon chicken stir fry.
And today, bourbon gets added to this wonderful pecan crusted chicken recipe. The sweet and savory bourbon sauce poured over the crispy breaded-pecan chicken is truly a match made in heaven with the most incredible, mouthwatering flavor. This chicken dish is honestly amazing.
What’s in This Bourbon Pecan Chicken Recipe?
Here’s an overview of the ingredients needed to make this pecan crusted chicken recipe. (Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Egg & Milk – For the egg wash to help the breading stick.
- Pecans – Very finely chopped as they’re used as a breading.
- Breadcrumbs – You also want very fine, dry breadcrumbs.
- Salt – For flavor.
- Olive oil – Provides richness and necessary moisture to pan-fry the chicken.
- Chicken – You’ll want boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this chicken recipe.
- Brown sugar – Sweetens the sauce and gives it a bit of a sticky caramelized texture.
- Dijon mustard – Adds some heat and tangy, earthy notes to the sauce.
- Bourbon whiskey – Adds some warmth and rich deep flavor.
- Soy sauce – Use low sodium to avoid a sauce that’s too salty.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds umami savory undertones.
- Butter – Unsalted & cold.
- Scallions – These have a subtle peppery onion flavor and also provide a nice pop of color to the dish.
Tips & Variations
- Thin the fillets. This helps to ensure that the chicken cooks fully in 15 minutes. You can also grab chicken cutlets, which are already thin.
- Make sure your fillets are all the same thickness. This helps to ensure that they all cook evenly.
- Can I use only pecans? Yes, you can. I use a mixture of pecans and breadcrumbs as I like the texture and found it adheres to the chicken better.
- How do I know when the chicken is done? The best way to know your bourbon pecan chicken is ready is to check with an internal thermometer. It should read 165F.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this bourbon pecan chicken with a starch and vegetable. Some great options include mashed potatoes, air fryer baked potatoes, or steamed white rice. This also pairs wonderfully with roasted brussels sprouts, roasted broccoli, or roasted carrots. A simple side salad works great, too!
Proper Storage
- Fridge. Store leftovers in the fridge in airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer. You can also freeze this chicken in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to maintain the crisp outside or pop it in the microwave for ease.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Bourbon Pecan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup very finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts , (6 ounces each)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, , cut into small cubes
- 2 scallions, , diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
- In another shallow bowl, stir together the pecans, bread crumbs, and salt.
- Using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound each chicken breast to a little more than 3/4-inch at the thickest part. (Make sure they are all the same thickness to ensure even cooking.)
- Coat the chicken on both sides in the egg/milk, letting any excess drip off. Then press both sides into the pecan/bread crumb mixture.
- Warm the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl to coat and once shimmering, add the chicken and fry on one side for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Turn chicken over and transfer skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.
- While the chicken bakes, make the sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, bourbon, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from the heat and add in the butter cubes; whisk until melted and combined.
- Serve chicken with a generous drizzle of sauce and sprinkle with diced scallions.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How To Make Bourbon Pecan Chicken
This pecan chicken looks restaurant-worthy but it’s so easy to make. (See above for the easy printable recipe card and video with the complete directions.)
- Prep. Whisk together the egg and milk in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine the pecans, breadcrumbs, and salt. Pound the chicken to 3/4-inch at the thickest part.
- Bread the chicken. Coat the chicken in the egg wash then press into the pecan mixture.
- Fry the chicken. Fry the chicken in the olive oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom.
- Bake. Flip the chicken over and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165F.
- Make the sauce. In the meantime, whisk together the sauce ingredients until smooth. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter.
- Enjoy. Serve the chicken with a drizzle of the sauce and some diced scallions.
Delish! LOVED this recipe. Thank you!
Fabulous! I’ll definitely make this again and will try your other bourbon chicken recipes!
This sounds fantastic, but I absolutely hate Dijon mustard. How do you think it would be if I substituted regular yellow mustard?
I have not tried the recipe yet, although I very much want to, I wasn’t able to leave without rating it. ?
I wouldn’t use yellow mustard, but you could sub in stone-ground, spicy brown, or even whole grain mustard. Enjoy – you’ll love it!
I should have wrote to you long before now, I love your site!!!! I have tried so many of your recipes, I love that they are things you have in your kitchen, seldom is there any ingredient I buy to use ONCE!!!! This Bourbon chicken however is the best dinner EVER. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us, I look forward to opening up Bellyfull every morning in my emails!!!!!
This was OUTSTANDING and so easy!! New favorite and will make again and again, thank you!