Honey Pecan Chicken Breasts

Back in my early 20s, I was lucky to be able to boil water for Ramen, scramble eggs without them turning into a charred pile of yuck or a soggy nasty mess, or make a grilled cheese without burning the house down. I had labeled myself a microwave aficionado. I was excellent at popping stuff in the microwave. I was semi-okay at sticking a frozen pizza in the oven. I ate a lot of cereal.

Then, when I was 25, I met this guy who was even more hopeless in the kitchen than I was. I decided that at least one of us should know how to cook so I picked up a Taste of Home cook book and taught myself how to cook (which was good, because we ended up getting married). I now have a collection of cook books that rivals my collection of fiction (and I am an avid reader).

One of my favorite finds was in an all-chicken cook book released by Taste of Home. It's' got a small ingredient list, and was easy enough for me to prepare without too much stress. Honey Pecan Chicken is a very pretty dish that combines the sweetness of honey, the spice of cayenne, and the crunch of pecans to really turn up the flavor on a plain old chicken breast. It's great with some steamed veggies to make a nice, fairly healthy meal that is quick and easy to put together. It's easy to modify/multiply to fit your family's taste buds and needs, and has become a staple in my weekly meal plans.

I've only changed this recipe very slightly (garlic powder instead of minced garlic, adding cinnamon to the pecans, browning in olive oil instead of butter), and it's a hit every time.

Your cast of characters:

Not pictured: garlic powder

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded flat
Salt
Pepper
Ground cayenne 
Garlic powder
Cinnamon
Finely chopped pecans
Honey
Olive oil (or butter), for browning

Season the chicken breasts with a little salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ground cayenne. Cook in olive oil until juices run clear.

While the chicken is cooking mix a little cinnamon and ground cayenne to the chopped pecans, and set them aside.

Once the chicken is done, remove from heat and drizzle with honey then sprinkle the pecans over the top. I usually put a little more honey over top of the pecans, but that's optional. Then you're done, and you get this:

With a side of zucchini and onions.

That's all. Quick and easy and delicious.

Enjoy!
~Mandy