Pecan Crusted Chicken | Low Carb Pecan Chicken Recipe

This Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe gives you all the delicious flavor of breaded chicken without the carbs. They're keto, crunchy, and absolutely irresistible!

What Makes This Pecan Crusted Chicken Recipe So Amazing

• Low Carb. Only 5 net carbs per serving.
• Fast. A delicious meal ready in under 30 minutes with the help of your Air Fryer.
• Easy. Coat the chicken in a delicious maple pecan crust and air fry. That's it.
• Gluten Free. There's no flour in the breading, making this great for anyone with a gluten allergy.

Can You Have Pecan Crusted Chicken On A Keto Diet?

Sometimes I get a craving for breaded chicken tenders, but the high carb breading just doesn't work with my low carb diet. Enter Pecan Crusted Chicken. They're every bit as delicious as breaded chicken tenders without all of the carbs. What's more, they're delicious enough for your non-keto family to enjoy right along with you. That's a win-win if I've ever seen one.

You're probably wondering, how am I going to get a crunchy chicken tender without deep frying them in fatty oil? That's where the air fryer comes in. (Check out my air fryer reviews here)

What Ingredients Do You Need For This Pecan Chicken Recipe?

• Chicken tenders
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Smoked Paprika
• Coarse-Ground Mustard
• Sugar-Free Maple Syrup
• finely-crushed pecans

A keto diet doesn't mean you have to give up on everything breaded. This Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe is a prime example of that. Simply sub out a high-carb breading with something like pecans and you're in business. Deliciously crispy, low carb, and delightfully nutty.

It makes this Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe just as crunchy as a deep fryer would without all the unnecessary fat and oiliness. Not to mention it makes this recipe faster! No long oven bake times or smelly deep fryer oil smells here.

Now when I originally made these I used honey to get the mustard sweeter, and of course, you can definitely do that if you'd like. But if you're trying to make these low carb, I find that a sugar-free maple syrup is just the ticket. it lends a delicious, maple-y flavor, it's thick enough to help the coating stick, and it all just works beautifully together.

How To Make Pecan Crusted Chicken

1. Place the chicken tenders in a large bowl. 
2. Add salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix until the chicken is coated with the spices.
3. Pour in honey and mustard and coat the chicken.
4. Place the finely-crushed pecans on a plate.
5. One chicken tender at a time, roll the tenders into the crushed pecans until both sides are coated. Shake off any excess.
6. Continue until all tenders are coated and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. 
7. Set the air fryer to 350F for 12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the pecans are golden brown.

Tips And Tricks

• For this recipe, you want the nuts crushed fine, but not utterly powdered. The finer they are chopped, the more likely they are to stick to the mustard mixture.
• If you find yourself getting annoyed by nuts that just won't stay put, just chop them a little bit more and you should be good to go.
• Remember too that you can use other nuts for this recipe, so if you don't like pecans, try something different.

What Goes Good With Pecan Crusted Chicken?

• Make it a southern supper by adding my Pressure Cooker Green Beans with Bacon as a side! They're deliciously savory and low carb.
• My Instant Pot Iced Tea is a great way to wash down these chicken tenders while still keeping it low carb! Sweet tea doesn't have to mean high carb.
• Love mac and cheese but trying to avoid the carbs? My Low Carb Cauliflower Mac and Cheese will satisfy your cravings without knocking you out of ketosis.
• Keto Candied Pecans - If you have leftover pecans from making your chicken, make some of these delicious keto candied pecans for dessert.

It's a whole meal that feels indulgent, and satisfying,  but it's low carb through and through. Just because you're eating low carb doesn't mean you have to eat food that's low in taste.

How Long Do They Last?

For the best flavor and texture, try to enjoy these Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders within 3-4 days after making them.

What's more, here's a meal you can feed a non-keto family without feeling guilty about it. You can always add a side of mashed potatoes or rice to go with this. If you want to know how to make perfect rice in the Instant Pot, by the way, check out my Perfect Rice videos.

Next time you're looking to make chicken tenders for the family, make this deliciously keto Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe instead! Make sure to share this recipe with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy it as well!

Every one of the recipes in this book can be made in an hour or less, and many are on the table in as little as 30 minutes. You won’t find “cream of anything” cans in the ingredient list: instead, you’ll start with fresh ingredients–healthful meats and vegetables–and let the air fryer do the hard work. Unleash the full potential of your Air Fryer and eat healthfully every night.

Originally published on August 31, 2018