Smothered Pecan-Encrusted Chicken with Apple Butter

By á-6416

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 28-ounce jar
• prepared apple butter
• Approximately 2 cups
• pecan chips
• 3 tablespoons
• flour
• 2 tablespoons
• brown sugar
• 3 cups
• chicken broth
• Approximately 3 tablespoons
• olive oil
• (pinch)
• salt

Preparation

Step 1

In a shallow dish, combine pecan chips, flour, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. This is the breading.

In a second shallow dish, place approx 2 cups of apple butter.

Place 10-in covered deep skillet on stove over medium heat. When pan is hot, add oil.

Remove chicken thighs from packaging. Dip thighs into apple butter, covering on all sides. Take thighs and dip into breading mixture, patting on each side. Place thighs in heated pan.

Lightly brown chicken on each side approx 2 min per side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. [**Note (added 1/2/11): For a variation on this recipe, take 2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and diced, reserve in water with a little lemon juice added (this keeps apples from turning brown). After chicken is removed from pan after browning, add diced apples and saute approximately 1-2 minutes. The acid in the apples will help loosen drippings from bottom of pan. After sauteing, resume recipe as follows.]

Add chicken broth to pan. Using wooden spoon, scrape bottom of pan to loosen drippings.

Add approx 3 Tbls add’l apple butter. Stir with whisk or spoon to incorporate. Bring broth to a simmer.

Place chicken back into skillet, making sure completely submersed in liquid. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Stew chicken until tender, approx 20 minutes. (Tip: I use a wooden spoon to test. Chicken is done when pieces can be broken apart with wooden spoon.) Broth will thicken automatically due to flour in the pecan breading. We serve over brown rice.