Walnut Chicken with Raspberry-Lime Sauce
Submitted by cookiebev
Walnut-crusted chicken breasts pan-fried golden and topped with a tangy raspberry-lime sauce made with sherry, seedless jam, and coriander. Elegant yet simple.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
30 minREADY
55 minGround walnuts make a crust that’s nuttier, crunchier, and more interesting than breadcrumbs. Mixed with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, they coat the chicken breasts after a quick dip in beaten egg and form a toasty shell that holds up beautifully in the pan.
The raspberry-lime sauce is where this recipe gets bold. Seedless raspberry jam, sherry, fresh lime juice, and coriander cook down in the same pan you used for the chicken, picking up all those toasted walnut bits and fond from the bottom. Three minutes of boiling thickens it into a glossy, ruby-colored sauce with a sweet-tart punch that cuts right through the richness of the nut crust.
Green onions go into the sauce along with any leftover walnut mixture, which adds body and prevents waste. The coriander is the quiet player that ties the raspberry and lime together with a warm, citrusy undertone.
Pro Tips
- Grind the walnuts in short pulses, not continuously. Over-processing turns them into walnut butter instead of a coarse crumb.
- Cook over medium heat, not high. Walnuts burn faster than breadcrumbs, and a scorched crust tastes bitter.
- Press the walnut coating firmly onto the chicken after dipping. Loose crumbs fall off in the pan and burn in the oil.
- Use seedless jam specifically. Seeds make the sauce gritty and texturally off-putting.
Variations
- Swap raspberry jam for apricot preserves and lime juice for lemon for a milder, golden sauce.
- Use pecans instead of walnuts for a sweeter, more buttery crust.
- Add a pinch of cayenne to the walnut mixture for a spicy-sweet contrast with the raspberry sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
In a shallow dish, mix the walnuts, garlic powder, salt and pepper well.
In second shallow dish, place the beaten egg.
Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, first in the beaten egg, then in the walnut mixture, turning to coat.
In a sauté pan, place two tablespoons of oil and heat over medium flame.
Add chicken and cook, turning, about 10 minutes or until chicken is brown on all sides and fork tender.
Remove chicken; set aside and keep warm.
To the same sauté pan, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, any remaining walnut mixture, and onion; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add sherry, jam, lime juice, and coriander.
Heat to boiling and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until thick.
Spoon sauce over chicken.
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