Our original Quick & Easy Almond Crusted Chicken recipe, using tender chicken breasts that are brushed with mayo, then encrusted in chopped almonds, spinach and Panko crumbs , creates an easy dinner that goes together quickly. I just added a new recipe that make this gluten and dairy free for those that are sensitive like me! Check out the updated quick and easy almond crusted chicken recipe below.
Cooking with chicken is something we do a lot of around here, as it can be made in so many different ways, it’s not terribly expensive and well, it tastes pretty darned good. That’s probably why I’m such a fan of this Quick & Easy Almond Crusted Chicken Recipe!
One way I have always liked to prepare chicken is coating it and then baking it. They way I typically prepare chicken breasts for baking is by dredging them in flour, dipping them in an egg base, then coating them with bread crumbs.
I thought the chicken breasts were really tasty cooked that way until recently, when I discovered another way to bake chicken, and it is even more delicious! Now before you think I am crazy, just hear me out.
How to bake chicken without drying it out?
Use mayonnaise instead of eggs to coat the chicken! Yes you heard me right! As a matter-of-fact, using mayonnaise makes the chicken incredibly juicy and tender. Add a light dusting of bread crumbs or Panko crumbs on top of the mayo and then bake in the oven. You may never use eggs again for coating chicken! Or, see my alternative option to make it gluten and dairy free!
For this chicken recipe, however, I have mixed a few items in with the mayonnaise to, well, mix things up a bit for a whole new flavor – spinach and chopped almonds.
Quick and Easy Almond Crusted Chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Original Recipe ingredients:
1-1/2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise (use Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo as an alternative Paleo option)
1 cup loosely packed baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped almonds
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
3 tsp. panko crumbs (or use almond flour for gluten free option)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
New Recipe! Gluten and Dairy Free
Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken breasts cut up into strips
- 2 cups blanched Almond Flour
- 1-2 eggs Eggs
- Equal parts chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
Directions for new recipe:
- Get a bowl and place 2 eggs, scramble them
- Then, get another bowl and add the flour and spices, stir together
- Dip the chicken into the egg and then the flour and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes! Serve with a side of veggies and rice!
How do I make baked chicken with mayonnaise?
Baking chicken in the oven is really easy. Begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating up, combine all of the ingredients (except the chicken) in a medium bowl. On a baking sheet, arrange the chicken breasts.
Top each chicken breast with an even amount of the mayonnaise mixture and spread over the top. Put the pan in the oven (uncovered) on a rack positioned in the middle of the oven.
How long should I cook chicken breasts?
Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken breasts are cooked throughout (with an internal temperature of 165 at the thickest part).
How can you tell if chicken is cooked all the way?
One way to tell if chicken is cook thoroughly is if the juices run clear. When chicken is not cooked throughout, the juices might be “cloudy”, pinkish or red. If this is the case, you need to cook it longer. Always cut the thickest part when checking.
The flavors of the Spinach & Almond Panko Crusted Chicken work so well together and the chicken is as tender as it can be.
It is always amazing to me how mayonnaise keeps chicken breasts so moist, and it really adds such a delicious flavor. This seems to be the case with mayo, regardless whether I am making the above recipe, my Easy Chinese Ginger Chicken Recipe, or any other easy breaded chicken recipe I make. I also like that even though very few Panko crumbs are used in the recipe, the result is a light, crispy crust .
The parmesan cheese really added a nice flavor, and the almonds gave it a subtle crunch. The flavors really did compliment each other!
What are the different ways to cook chicken?
Oh, there are SO many! That is why I love making chicken and always having it on hand. You can stir-fry chicken (I love to make Chinese food at home!), you can grill or BBQ chicken (which is always fun to do on on a nice summer evening), you can make fried chicken (I highly recommend frying chicken in buttermilk, flour and then cooking it in a cast iron skillet – it really does turn the best this way).
And of course, good ol’ breaded and oven baked chicken! As a matter-of-fact, you might also want to try one of my other favorite breaded chicken recipes that uses mayonnaise! My Oven-Fried Herb Chicken is another family favorite chicken recipe that is easy to make!
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5 Responses
That looks incredibly appetizing!
yum! this looks so good! my family is big on chicken so we will have to try this!
Looks yummy! I am going to try this recipe
These ingredients sound great, but then again I love spinach. The final product looks as though it came out quite well. Nice recipe, thanks for sharing!
We are always looking for different ways to prepare chicken!