Pecan Crusted Chicken
Updated Jul 23, 2025
Pecan crusted chicken marinated in a yogurt, Dijon, and honey sauce that is then coated in pecans and panko and baked in the oven.
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My Baked Pecan crusted chickne is so good!
Pecan crusted chicken sounded a little strange to me the first time I heard about it, but once I tried it, I was all in. The pecans toast up in the oven and give the chicken this crispy, nutty coating that works way better than I expected. I might even like it better than traditional breaded chicken.
Now I make this pecan crusted chicken whenever I want something baked, not fried, but still crunchy. The yogurt-Dijon marinade adds a ton of flavor, and I usually serve it with a quick honey mustard sauce on the side because why not.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Pecan Crusted Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Go for skinless, boneless chicken breasts for this recipe!
- Greek yogurt: Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt is best, imo.
- Dijon mustard: I love the flavor of Dijon, but if it’s not your thing, milder yellow mustard will work, too.
- Honey: Natural honey is my favorite sweetener for this dipping sauce, but agave or maple syrup will work!
- Pecans: Go for unsalted, raw pecans. Sometimes I will make almond crusted chicken instead; you can really use any nut.
- Breadcrumbs: I use panko breadcrumbs for the crunchiest texture, but regular breadcrumbs work well too!
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper are all you need!
How to Make Pecan Crusted Chicken
Pecan Crusted Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt divided
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard divided
- 4 tablespoons honey divided
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast about ½ inch thick
- 1 ½ cups pecans finely chopped
- 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix ½ cup yogurt, ¼ cup Dijon, and 2 tablespoons honey. Add chicken and let sit at least 15 minutes or up to overnight.
- In a shallow dish toss together pecans, breadcrumbs, kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper.
- Remove chicken from yogurt mixture, scraping off excess marinade and add to shallow bowl with pecan mixture. Press firmly to adhere pecan mixture, turn breast over and repeat so all sides of the chicken are completely covered.
- Transfer coated chicken to prepared baking sheet and repeat process with remaining pieces of chicken. Add remaining pecan mixture to top of chicken and press down even. Coat with cooking spray.
- Bake chicken in oven until cooked through, flipping halfway through, about 20-25 minutes total.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl stir together remaining 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons honey. Season to taste.
- Serve chicken with honey mustard sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the marinade step. Marinating your chicken for at least 15 minutes or even overnight really helps to tenderize the meat and give it flavor!
- Pound your chicken breasts if they look thick. Each cut of meat should be about ½ inch thick. If your chicken breasts are larger than that, you can either pound them down, or cut them in half to ensure they cook through fully.
- Chop your pecans into small pieces. If they’re too large, they’ll have trouble sticking to the chicken! I like to break them down quickly by pulsing them in a food processor.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure your chicken is fully cooked. Your thermometer should register at 165F in the thickest part of the breast! If the pecan crust is browning too quickly before the chicken is cooked through, you can cover each piece loosely with foil.
Serving Ideas
- Add potatoes. Crunchy chicken pairs well with potatoes in all formats. Think: baked fries, air fryer sweet potato fries, or parmesan potatoes.
- Try more dips. For extra dipping sauce options (alongside the honey-mustard in this recipe), I like to make classic aioli, or even homemade (healthy) ranch.
- Make a side salad. My go-tos are a simple green salad, or a fresh Greek salad.
FAQs
Once cooked, leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat, reheat them at 350F for 15 minutes until warmed through.
Yes! Though the crunchy texture of the crust may change slightly when thawed. Once your chicken has cooled, flash freeze it on a pan in the freezer before transferring to a freezer bag (this will help keep that crunchy crust intact) for up to 2 months. You can bake directly from frozen or thaw in the fridge overnight!
Yep! The chicken can be marinated overnight, and once crusted, you can keep your chicken breasts covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Comments
This is similar to a restaurant that used to be open here where I live and the only difference is no yogurt, spicy mustard, and of course seasoning (onion powder and garlic powder) and we fry for a minute and then bake. We use a berry sauce for dipping. It’s berries with some pineapple juice heated with a tsp of cornstarch. So good
Yum, that sounds so good! So glad you like the recipe, Michele. Thanks!!
Hello! What do you suggest for the yogurt as a dairy free option? Thanks!
Hi! I would try making it with your favorite dairy-free yogurt.
is there a substitute for the mustard? my boys donโt like mustard and iโm afraid they would taste it. thank you
You can just leave it out! The flavor will still be great without it.
I tried your recipe yesterday for the first time. It was delicious! My family loved it. I will definitely be making it on a regular basis. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Yay! I’m so happy you and your family loved the recipe, Angela! You’re so welcome!!
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