Low Carb Pecan crusted chicken tenders is an easy weeknight meal that pleases kids and adults alike. With quick prep and cook times, you’ll have this keto dinner on the table in 30! Low carb, gluten-free, & egg-free.
This is such a great, low carb way to prepare chicken tenders or flattened/pounded chicken breasts. The chipotle seasoning blend and mustard deliver lots of flavor and the nuts provide a great crunch. With a prep time of 10 minutes and a cook time of 15, dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes. A few weeks ago, I served these Pecan Dijon Chicken Tenders with a great Sesame Slaw and placed both the slaw and the Pecan Dijon Chicken in doubled corn tortillas for my kids, and in romaine lettuce leaves for us adults (but a low carb tortilla with salad is a great option, too). The kids went nuts!
In these photos, I served these crunchy pecan crusted chicken tenders on a salad of arugula, with simple sides of Broccoli Salad and grape tomatoes. Serving possibilities are endless and serving fast and easy sides will keep these on the dinner rotation.
Always thinking ahead, I cooked extra tenders and they have been great on our lunch salads this week. Why make one recipe when preparing a little more takes just seconds longer and saves time later on? Some of the nuts will fall off after cooking, but just scoop them up and use them as a garnish for one of your sides.
Each Serving of Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders is 4 net carbs
Low Carb, Gluten-Free Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 20 chicken tenders
Mustard Coating
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Swerve Confectioners (or 2 tablespoons. erythritol powdered)
- 1/4 teaspoon dill
- 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
Chipotle Chicken Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Chipotle chile powder (or less depending how hot yours is)
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pecan Coating
- 2 cups pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Chipotle chile powder
Instructions
- Grease or line a big sheet pan with foil.
- Mix the ingredients for the mustard coating and chipotle chicken seasoning together in a small bowl.
- Finely chop the pecans and place in a bowl or plate big enough to accommodate a chicken tender. Add the garlic salt and chipotle pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Dry the chicken tenders with a paper towel and place into a medium bowl. Pour the mustard mixture over the chicken and using your hands, mix the mustard and chicken together, making sure that all surfaces of the chicken is covered. Preheat the oven to 375.
- Pick up a chicken tender and place it into the nuts, coating both sides, and lay it on the sheet pan. Repeat the process for all of the chicken tenders.
- Place the sheet pan of pecan Dijon chicken into the oven and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip each piece over and cook for another 7 minutes. Remove the pecan Dijon chicken from the oven and turn on the broiler.
- Watching carefully, broil the pecan Dijon chicken for a few minutes until the nuts brown a little and crisp up.
- Serve
You think these would work in an air fryer?
Absolutely, Ranna. -Kim
Made these tonight and they were delicious. We will definitely make them again!
I made these tonight and loved them! Very flavorful. It was another recipe I tried on a worknight and found it to be easy prep and cooking. I did use a food processor to chop/grind up my pecans which I think worked well. 2 cups of pecans was the perfect amount for 20 tenders. Will definitely be making these a regular dinner recipe.
We tried these last night, and they were quick and tasty, but they were not really pecan Dijon so much as crunchy chipotle chicken – the chipotle overwhelmed every other flavor (side note – do the ~four drops of liquid smoke really show up when you make it?), and the pecans were for crunch only, not their delicate molasses-y sweetness. A difference between specific chipotle powders, perhaps? I understand the heat can vary. Even my husband, who loves hot food, thought they were spicier than they ought to be, and my kids had to scrape them down and drink about three glasses of water apiece to eat them. We’ll try it again, with more mustard (perhaps a sweet mustard dipping sauce?) and less chipotle – these flavors really have so much potential and it cooks so quickly, awesome for a weeknight dinner. Thanks!
Oh, one more thing – the spice mixture calls for garlic powder, salt and also garlic salt. Redundant, no?
Whoops! Too spicy? I’m sorry. Ally. Yes, chipotle chile brands vary and the nuts were there for crunch and because I love them. Yes, the liquid smoke does add some flavor, but if you don’t have it leave it out. This recipe is on my list to re-evaluate since it was made two years ago. I will take your comments into account. Thanks so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it, Ally. Enjoy your week. -Kim
this looks great! question – what do i do with the seasoning? i see where it says to mix it up, but then what do i do with it? mix it with the mustard?
Hi Anita. I’m glad you caught that, thank you. I think I originally seasoned the chicken tenders before mixing the mustard into the chicken, but it makes more sense to add the seasoning directly to the mustard. I think it saves a step and simplifies. I changed the recipe to reflect. Thanks! Have a nice week. -Kim
These tenders look so good and crunchy! I’m totally with you on making extras for later. And I can totally relate on not having to cook when I’m at my parent’s house- love it!
Thanks, Veronica! -Kim