Effortnesslessly: Almond and Flax Crusted Chicken Breast

It is just another great recipe for the most popular type of protein - chicken. Encrusted into mighty-nutritional almond and flaxseed meal, this chicken breast recipe may sound like a piece of work but in fact, it's easy to put together. Also it fits nicely as a make ahead dish for a party as well as a choice for a weekday family dinner.

Blog's Category: Awesome Findings

Intro

This recipe is from The Blood Sugar Solution book by Dr. Mark Hyman. Frankly, I do not have a problem with a blood sugar; it just happened that I've heard about wonderfully delicious recipes from this book for a while. I even made some Blood Sugar Solution’s recipes already like this one, awesome Nutty Kale Salad.)

Today's recipe, Almond and Flax Crusted Chicken Breast, has become a staple for my co-worker so I decided to give it a try. Results are here and I can't wait to share this with you. I have allowed myself minor changes to the recipe proceedings to convert it into convenient make-ahead recipe (I like this sort of recipes just because they are so useful for nowadays busy life :)

What is it?

- Essentially, it's marinated chicken breast, coated into mix of almond and flax seed meal and baked to a wonderfully crusted piece of meat. E-e-easy!

Taste Description

FYI: I'm vegetarian so totally rely on a evaluation of my carnivorous family members. Since we don't hold a word from each other for already so many years, then trust me, I can completely confide in their honest opinion ;) Oh well, quick disappearance of prepared dish (Almond and Flax Crusted Chicken Breast in this case) is even better indicator that the recipe is a success, isn't it?

As I was informed: "it's one of the best chicken breast I have eaten before"; "Hmmm yummmm"; "Oh! wow..", etc.

How to Serve

Serve right away. However, leftovers, if any, of course, will keep in a fridge not for a long time but just because they will disappear way before.. :))))

Almond and Flax Crusted Chicken Breast

For about 8 servings:

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (optionally cut in half)

4 tbsp ground flaxseed

1/2 cup almonds (or 2/3 cup almond meal)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp almond butter

1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped

1/2 lemon, juice only

2 tsp sea salt

Pinch or two of cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dry thyme)

- Process together marinade ingredients: olive oil, almond butter, onion, lemon, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley and thyme.

- Make almond meal by pulsing whole almonds until medium-fine crumbs or use store-bought almond meal. Mix almond meal and ground flax seed together and set aside.

- Place chicken breast between two layers of plastic wrap on a heavy wooden cutting board and using kitchen mallet, not textured (even) side of it, pound chicken breast into flat pieces, 1/2" thick.

- Spread marinade onto each chicken piece.

- If planning to do this in advance, transfer chicken into covered container and pop in a fridge.

- Everything up to this point can be done a day or two in advance.

- When ready to cook, sprinkle almond-flax mix on both sides of each chicken piece, slightly tapping it in. Transfer chicken on a baking sheet.

- Bake in a pre-heated to 380F oven for about 30 minutes and enjoy then!

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IN PICTURES

I love my little handy-dandy immersion blender. It's so easy to use when you need to whip up some dressing, vinaigrette or sauce. I use it here to make marinade.

By consistency, marinade is a paste..

I didn't have almond meal, but I always have whole almonds in my freezer. A few seconds in a blender and whole almond becomes almond meal :)

Light one is a store-bought golden flax meal. I keep it in a freezer as well (as almond and all nuts) - oil-containing nuts or seeds can go rancid pretty quick if kept in a cupboard.

Piled on a plate, smudged in a marinade and covered with plastic wrap, my chicken breast is ready to go in a fridge. It happened in a morning and in an evening, it went to an oven to bake.