Pumpkin Seed Crusted Chicken Recipes

PUMPKIN SEED CRUSTED CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Bread the chicken: you can use chicken tenderloin or whole chicken breast, cut into equal-sized pieces. Season the meat well with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. On a plate, mix the breadcrumbs and chopped pumpkin seeds (don't chop them very finely, just a little). Dip each chicken piece in the egg mixture, then coat evenly in the breadcrumbs mixture. Place on a clean plate. Continue until all chicken pieces are breaded. If you have some egg and breadcrumb mixture left, bread the chicken once again until you have no more egg and breadcrumbs left.
• Pan-fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a large frying pan, cook the chicken on both sides over high heat until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Dressing: pour all the dressing ingredients into a small jar, season with salt and pepper to taste, close the lid and shake it a few times vigorously until thick sauce forms.
• Wash and spin dry the lettuce in a salad spinner, if you have one.
• Assemble: Place the lettuce on the plates, top with pan-fried chicken pieces, sliced in half tomatoes, cut into thin slices cucumber and onion. Pour the sauce over and serve.
• Enjoy!

PUMPKIN SEED BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place first five ingredients and 3 tablespoons of the pumpkin seeds in a shallow bowl. Finely chop remaining pumpkin seeds; stir into cracker mixture. In another shallow bowl, whisk together egg, honey and lemon juice. Dip both sides of chicken in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture, patting to adhere., Bake on a greased baking sheet until a thermometer reads 165°, 30-35 minutes.

PUMPKIN SEED CRUSTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Chop the pumpkin seeds finely or add to a food processor with salt, parmesan, oregano, and paprika. Transfer to a plate.
• Brush or rub roughly 1 tablespoon of oil on each chicken breast. Coat the chicken in the pumpkin seed mixture, pressing to adhere. Place the crusted chicken onto a plate. Repeat for all the chicken breasts.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, doing in batches if too crowded, cooking for 5 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked depending on the thickness of chicken.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate and serve immediately.

PUMPKIN SEED-CRUSTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Toast the pumpkin seeds and ancho powder in a saute pan on medium high heat. Remove, crush in a mortar and pestle, and place in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
• Stuff the goat cheese underneath the chicken skin of the breast, then dredge the chicken on both sides in the mixture and remove. Heat a saute pan on medium heat, add olive oil. Place the chicken, skin side down into the pan.
• When it becomes golden, flip the chicken and place into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with a green salad or favorite vegetables.

CHICKEN IN PUMPKIN SEED SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a pot with just enough water to cover. Sprinkle with salt, and add the peppercorns, bay leaves, quartered onion and herb bundle. Bring to a low boil, and then reduce the heat and poach the chicken until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the chicken, straining the stock, and then wipe the pot clean and return to the heat. Peel the skin off the chicken breasts and cover to keep warm until the sauce is ready. Dry toast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat until puffed and toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted seeds for garnish. Puree the remaining seeds in a blender or food processor with 1 cup of the stock, the chopped onion, EVOO, cumin, epazote, if using, cinnamon, tomatillos, lettuce, garlic and chiles. Transfer the pumpkin seed puree to the pot with 2 1/2 to 3 cups of the reserved chicken stock and simmer to develop flavor and thicken, 20 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnishreserved toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve with warm corn tortillas, for wrapping, and minced red onion, for topping. If you would like to serve with a vegetable, steamed or sauteed zucchini is perfect.

PUMPKIN SEED-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Season pork with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne.
• Heat vegetable oil in an oven-proof pan over high heat. Sear pork in the hot oil until well-browned on all sides. Turn off the heat, and transfer to a plate.
• Mix mustard, maple syrup, and cumin together in a small bowl. Use a spoon to spread mustard mixture all over the surface of the pork, getting as thick a layer as possible.
• Transfer the pumpkin seeds on top of the mustard mixture in a thick layer, and lightly press down into the surface. Press pumpkin seeds into the sides as well.
• Transfer pork back into the pan and add 1/2 cup of broth.
• Roast in the preheated oven until pork is slightly pink in the center, about 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove pork to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
• Place the same pan back over medium-high heat and add remaining 1/2 cup of broth, rice vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. Stir with a spoon and bring to a boil.
• Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and stir in butter. Taste for seasoning and serve over sliced pork.

CHICKEN IN GREEN PUMPKIN-SEED SAUCE

Steps:

• For chicken:
• Bring all ingredients to boil in large pot. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl; cover to keep warm. Reserve chicken broth in pot; spoon off fat from surface.
• Meanwhile, begin sauce:
• Heat heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add pepitas; stir frequently until seeds puff and begin to pop, about 15 minutes (do not brown). Transfer to dish; cool. Set aside 2 tablespoons pepitas for garnish. Working in batches, finely grind remaining pepitas with peppercorns in spice mill or coffee grinder.
• Puree tomatillos, next 5 ingredients, and 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth in blender until almost smooth. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillo mixture and simmer until sauce is thick and reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add ground pepita mixture. Stir constantly until mixture resembles very coarse paste and begins to color in spots, about 9 minutes. Add tomatillo mixture; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups reserved chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce is thick, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes longer. Season sauce to taste with salt. Spoon some sauce onto platter. Top with chicken. Spoon remaining sauce over. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons pepitas.