Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets. The nutty flavor from the almonds is slight but when paired with the garlicky, citrusy pesto it just fits!
If your family is fond of chicken parmesan, they will adore this recipe for crispy almond crusted chicken and lemon- basil pesto. I serve this with an easy green vegetable and the whole family is happy.
You could serve this with pasta or spaghetti squash but I like to keep things simple.
Reheating instructions: It’s a common misconception that crunchy/ fried foods can’t be reheated. I think the key is in the storage! I store the leftover crispy chicken cutlets in a container, once cooled, with 1 paper towel. When I am ready to reheat, I use a parchment paper lined baking sheet and at 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. The insides are hot and the crispy exterior still intact!
Almond Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Pesto
Yield 6 serving
Chicken cutlets breaded with a nutty delicious coating served with a lemony basil pesto! Great for a weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 lb of chicken cutlets (chicken breast thinly sliced or pounded till thin)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 C almond milk
- 1/2 c almond flour
- 1/2 c All Purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 C blanched almonds, crushed
- 1 C panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 C coconut oil
Pesto (optional)
- 2 1/2 C basil
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 3 medium cloves of garlic,
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/4 C parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1/3 c olive oil
- salt + pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In the first shallow dish/ bowl, add the almond flour, all purpose flour, garlic powder, salt + pepper
- In another dish, add the egg and almond milk; whisk till the egg and milk are frothy.
- In the third shallow dish, add the dried parsley, dried thyme, almonds, and panko bread crumbs.
- Dredge: First dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, finishing in the panic mixture. Set aside on a large plate or baking sheet. Repeat with each chicken cutlet.
- Warm up the coconut oil in a heavy-bottom skillet till ready to fry.
- Pan fry the chicken cutlets, 2-3 at a time, for 1-2 minutes each side. You really just want to get the nice golden color on each side.
- Move the pan fried cutlets to a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for an additional 5-7 minutes; depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces.
- Prepare the pesto: Place the basil, pine nuts, lemon juice, and garlic cloves in a food processor. Drizzle the olive oil in as you pulse the other ingredients. Add the parmesan cheese and pulse. Finally, taste and season with salt + pepper.
Marissa is a wife to Texans Offensive Lineman #79, mother to a baby girl named Joy, a baby boy named Jeff, and a lover of food . She loves to feed people on game day and try new recipes during the week. 
