The addition of cumin, cayenne, and smoked paprika, whose flavors so nicely complement the toasted pepitas, won me over, a card-carrying breasts-are-boring member. And the use of seeds in place of bread crumbs, moreover, makes this preparation safe for both the gluten and nut-free crowds.
Total Time
1hr
3.8
5 Ratings
Author: Alexandra's Kitchen
Servings:
4
Ingredients
•
1 1/4
cups
Pepitas
•
2
Chicken Breasts
•
3
Tbsp
Mayonnaise
•
1
Tbsp
Dijon Mustard
•
1
tsp
Smoked Paprika
•
as needed
Ground Cumin
•
1
pinch
Cayenne Pepper
•
to taste
Kosher Salt
•
to taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
•
3
Tbsp
Neutral Oil
•
1
Lemon
(optional)
Cooking Instructions
1.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.
Place Pepitas (1 1/4 cups) on rimmed sheet pan. Transfer to oven and cook for 5 minutes—seeds should barely take on any color. Set pan aside to cool.
3.
Meanwhile, prepare the Chicken Breasts (2): if the tenderloin is still intact, slice it off and set it aside. At this point, you can either pound the chicken breasts to a 1/2-inch thickness, or you could cut each breast in half crosswise, to create 4 thin pieces.
4.
In a medium bowl, stir together the Mayonnaise (3 Tbsp) and Dijon Mustard (1 Tbsp). Place the chicken breasts and tenders in the bowl and rub the mixture all over them to coat them evenly.
5.
Place the cooled pepitas, Smoked Paprika (1 tsp), Ground Cumin (as needed), and Cayenne Pepper (1 pinch) in a resealable bag. Seal the bag, pressing to release air before you close it completely.
6.
Place the seeds in a zip-lock bag. Holding a wine bottle by the neck, gently tap the bottom of the bottle against the seeds until they are crushed, but not uniformly fine like bread crumbs. Transfer the seeds to a small rimmed sheet pan or other similar vessel.
7.
Transfer the breasts and tenders one by one to the vessel with the seeds, turning each to coat until each is evenly coated in seeds. Season both sides of each breast with Kosher Salt (to taste) and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (to taste).
8.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add Neutral Oil (3 Tbsp)—you want a thin layer. When it shimmers, lower each breast into the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
9.
Flip, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more or until evenly golden.
10.
Transfer breasts to a platter to rest. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Slice a wedge out of the Lemon (1) and serve with the chicken cutlets and enjoy!
Nutrition Per Serving
CALORIES
671
FAT
55.7 g
PROTEIN
26.8 g
CARBS
20.2 g
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