Cilantro Pecan Chicken Recipe - Holistic Squid (2024)

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Emily Bartlett 9 Comments

There is nothing like turning a classic cuisine staple into a pretty little, nutrient dense show stopper like this Cilantro Pecan Chicken. I'm a sucker for that kind of magic. Nutrient dense dishes are particularly conducive to these slick transformations because they allow for and revel in rich ingredients.

I adore biting into a fancy French dish and marveling over its complexities only to later realize that it is a classically simple preparation dressed up in a lavish sauce. This is one such recipe to tuck away for a moment when you want to both wow and nourish those at your table.

Cilantro pecan chicken ingredients

2 chicken legs and 2 chicken thighs, preferably from chickens raised on pasture
1 bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed
1 cup crisp pecans*
3 cloves garlic
8 tablespoons butter, preferably from cows raised on pasture
¼ cup onions, diced
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup crème fraiche

Cilantro pecan chicken method

Place cilantro leaves, pecans, garlic, 4 tablespoons butter and spices into bowl of food processor and blend until the consistency of a smooth paste.
Place 4 pats or 4 tablespoons butter along the center of your baking dish and place a piece of chicken on top of each butter pat.
Lift the skin of each piece of chicken and cover the meat with 1-2 tablespoons cilantro paste. Pull the skin neatly back over the meat.
Pour the white wine over the chicken.
Cover and bake in an oven preheated to 400° for 45 minutes.
Remove bake dish cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
When done, remove the chicken to a serving platter to rest.
Use a spatula to scrape the contents of your baking pan to the remaining cilantro paste in the bowl of the food processor and add crème fraiche as well. Blend until smooth. Check the consistency of your sauce. If you want to thin it, consider adding small amounts of chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached.
Plate the chicken and complete the presentation by topping with this velvety, green sauce. Enjoy!

Chef's Notes:

“Crisp Pecans” refers to pecans that have been soaked (for 7-10 hours) and dehydrated. Raw nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses contain phytic acid, which can make their digestion more difficult for us and actually block our absorption of nutrients. Soaking the pecans will minimize their phytic acid content. You can read more about the why and how of preparing grains and nuts here.

This post was generously contributed by Monica Ford ofReal Food Devotee. Monica's recipeswill make your mouth water and your tummy purr.If you're lucky enough to live in Los Angeles, Real Food Devotee can make your life easier by delivering nutrient dense goodies directly toyourdoor.

photo credit:An Eye Full Studio

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Anne-Marie Cain says
October 19, 2012 at 4:50 pm
This looks amazingly delicious! Can’t wait to try it. Visiting from Simple Lives Thursday. 🙂
Reply
monica ford says
October 22, 2012 at 2:29 pm
Let us know how ya like it, @Anne-Marie
Reply
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
October 26, 2012 at 12:26 pm
This cilantro pecan chicken sounds delicious! I love how the pecans form part of the sauce.
Reply
monica ford says
October 26, 2012 at 1:30 pm
@April
Yaaaay! Yes. I think the pecans really give the sauce a yummy depth!
Reply
Lea H @ Nourishing Treasures says
October 28, 2012 at 6:59 pm
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back tomorrow when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! 🙂
Reply
jessie says
November 16, 2012 at 9:42 pm
What to do with the onions? Do they get blended or baked in the wine? I left them out and used chicken breasts without skin, turned out delicious.
Reply
monica ford says
November 16, 2012 at 9:45 pm
Hi @Jessie ooops! They should’ve been blended;-/ Thanks for catching that!
phfew! Glad it was still delicious!
xo
Reply
Nancy says
February 18, 2018 at 4:52 pm
What if you don’t have a dehydrator? Can you just soak the pecans and dry them out or slightly toast them in the oven?
Reply
- Emily Bartlett says
  February 19, 2018 at 7:30 am
  Hi Nancy. Yes, you can use an oven: Dry for at least 12 hours in the warm oven, until completely dry and crispy. xoxo Emily
  Reply