Susans Walnut Chicken Recipes

WALNUT-CRUSTED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Mix garlic, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and thyme together in a bowl to make the "nut glue."
• Season chicken breasts generously with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Spread nut glue all over the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Toss walnuts over the chicken, press down firmly, and repeat on the other side to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Coat the bottom of an oven-proof skillet with some olive oil. Place chicken breasts on top, reserving excess nuts if desired. Season with a pinch of salt and drizzle more olive oil on top.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until walnuts are lightly toasted and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast reads 150 degrees F (66 degrees C), about 25 minutes.
• Quickly remove chicken to a plate to rest. Transfer skillet to the stovetop; stir in broth, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and honey and bring to a boil over high heat; cook until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon pan sauce over and around the chicken to serve.

WALNUT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the first 7 ingredients into a medium saucepan over low heat. Mix well with a whisk and bring to a simmer.
• In a small cup add the cornstarch and 3 to 4 tablespoons of water. Mix to combine, then add it to the sauce mixture. Slowly add 2 cups of water and continue to cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it has thickened to a syrup consistency.
• Steam the chicken in a vegetable steamer over the bouillon liquid, in 2 batches. Cook until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a cutting board.
• Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the whole walnuts to a small frying pan over medium heat. Turn regularly until well toasted. Cool, then stir the walnuts into the sauce mixture. Put the sauce mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer.
• Slice the chicken into bite-size pieces and add it to the sauce mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve over hot rice or a mixture of white and wild rice.

CIRCASSIAN CHICKEN IN WALNUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Simmer the large onion, carrots, peppercorns, salt, bay leaves and parsley in 1 1/2 quarts of water for 20 minutes. Add the chicken, and continue simmering for 20 minutes longer, just until the chicken is done. Cool the chicken in the broth.
• Meanwhile, heat the walnut oil over very low heat, stirring in 1 teaspoon of the paprika. Set aside in a warm place.
• Soak the bread in a little water, and squeeze it dry.
• Grind the walnuts in a food processor or blender until fine. Spoon into a large bowl, and set aside.
• When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove from broth; discard skin and bones, and tear meat into bite-size pieces and set aside. Strain the chicken stock, and reserve.
• Crumble the bread into the walnuts. Stir in garlic, 1/2 cup minced onion, 1 tablespoon paprika, cayenne and 2 cups of reserved stock. Mix and process in batches to make smooth paste, using more stock as needed to make a thick sauce of pouring consistency. Season with salt.
• Mix half the sauce with the chicken pieces. Arrange the mixture on a serving platter, and pour the remaining sauce over it. Drizzle with hot walnut-paprika oil. Serve cold or at room temperature.

SAUTéED CHICKEN WITH WALNUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Turn the heat to medium under a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the chicken pieces without crowding them; use two skillets if necessary. Cook on the first side about 10 minutes, rotating the pieces and adjusting the heat as necessary to brown the pieces evenly. As the pieces brown, season with salt and pepper. Cook the second side as you did the first, then turn once or twice more until done, a total of 20 to 30 minutes. (You can check for doneness by cutting into the pieces; there should be no sign of blood, although traces of pink are all right. The breast and wing pieces will finish cooking first; keep them warm in a low oven, or just set them aside and serve them less than piping hot.)
• Meanwhile, soak the bread in the milk or stock. Put the walnuts, garlic and some salt in the container of a food processor, and pulse to grind coarsely. Gently squeeze some liquid from the bread, and add the bread to the container, along with the oil. Process until combined but not puréed. Add as much of the remaining milk or stock as necessary to give the mixture a mayonnaise-like consistency. By hand, add the paprika or chili powder, and stir in the parsley if you are using it. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
• Serve the chicken hot or at room temperature with the sauce spooned over it.

CRISPY WALNUT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place cereal and walnuts in processor and ground finely then place in shallow dish.
• Combine butter, garlic, salt and pepper in shallow dish.
• Dredge chicken in butter mixture then in cereal to coat.
• Place chicken in baking dish.
• Pour remaining butter mixture over chicken.
• Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

CRUNCHY WALNUT COATED CHICKEN STRIPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Put cereal and walnuts into a zip-top plastic bag. Press air out of bag and zip closed.
• Using a rolling pin or heavy food can, press and roll over ingredients in the bag until cereal is finely crushed and walnuts are in pieces as small as grains of rice. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to bag. Shake to mix.
• Crack egg into medium-size bowl. Beat with a fork until yolk and white are mixed together.
• If using chicken breasts, place chicken on cutting board. Cut into 1/2-inch wide strips across the short direction of each piece of chicken. Add sliced chicken (or tenders) to the egg and stir. Immediately wash hands, knife and cutting board with warm soapy water.
• With a fork, remove chicken pieces letting extra egg drip off. Put chicken into bag with walnut mixture.
• Close bag. Gently shake bag back and forth, and press walnuts onto chicken. Pour chicken onto prepared pan and use a fork to separate pieces so they aren't touching each other. Wash hands again if you touched the chicken.
• Bake 10 minutes until crumbs are golden brown and chicken is cooked through. To check if chicken is done, remove one piece and cut in half. It should be white all the way through, not pink.

SUSAN'S WALNUT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix 1 Tbl. oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoons corn starch in bowl. Stir in chicken (cut in 1 inch pieces). Cover and refrigerate 30 minute.
• Mix chicken broth, ginger, 3 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons corn starch. Set aside.
• Heat 1-2 Tbl. oil in skillet. Stir-fry chicken and dried red pepper. Remove chicken.
• Stir-fry onion, green pepper, and garlic until onion is clear. Add chicken and broth mixture. Cook until thickened. Stir in walnuts and water chestnuts.
• Serve over white rice.