Honey Pecan Crusted Chicken

Life has been especially busy this month that I haven't really had a chance to share some dinner recipes made during the week. But I found some spare time into the wee hours of the night (while my boys were sleeping) to share a recent household favorite. This Honey Pecan Crusted Chicken captures the sweet and savory flavors in crispy un-fried chicken. In an effort to be a bit healthier, this dish was popular and there was no fuss with frying or making an oily mess in the kitchen! Honey, mustard, cornflakes and toasted pecans lend their flavors to a wonderful chicken coating that bakes up beautifully in the oven...

This was a great way to use up cereal and the small amount of nuts I had leftover from baking. I especially liked how a majority of the ingredients were pretty much pantry staples, which saved me a trip to the store! It was the perfect balance of sweet and savory, with a nice crunchy texture... and without the mess of frying. We enjoyed this chicken with a side of mashed potatoes and grilled zucchini...

Honey Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe from Cooking Light
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinned chicken breast halves
8 (4-ounce) chicken drumsticks, skinned
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/4 cups finely crushed cornflakes (about 4 cups uncrushed cereal)
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.
Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over chicken; set aside. Combine honey, mustard, paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl; stir well. Combine cornflakes and pecans in a shallow dish; stir well. Brush both sides of chicken with honey mixture; dredge in cornflake mixture.
Place chicken pieces on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray, and bake at 400° for 40 minutes or until done.