Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Lemony Asparagus and Garlic Thyme Butter Biscuits

There’s nothing quite like crunchy-topped chicken and this recipe takes it to the next level. Chicken cutlets are first coated in tangy honey Dijon dressing, then crusted in a mixture of pecans, panko and thyme. As they bake, the topping crisps up beautifully while the chicken stays juicy inside.

To round out the meal, we’ve added lemony roasted asparagus, flaky buttermilk biscuits and a rich garlic thyme compound butter. Every bite offers a delightful mix of textures and flavors-crunchy, tender, tangy and buttery. It’s a dinner that feels truly special.

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Ingredients

0.25 ounce ThymeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce Buttermilk BiscuitsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce PecansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce Green BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

ounce AsparagusView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Honey Dijon DressingView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Strip thyme leaves from stems; mince leaves until you have 1½ tsp (3 tsp for 4 servings). Trim woody ends from asparagus. Zest and quarter lemon.
2. Finely chop pecans or crush in bag with a heavy-bottomed pan or rolling pin. Place 2 TBSP butter (3 TBSP for 4 servings) in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted, 45 seconds. Stir in pecans, panko and 1 tsp chopped thyme (2 tsp for 4). Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with ¾ tsp garlic powder (1½ tsp for 4 servings), salt and pepper. (You’ll use the rest of the garlic powder later.) Place chicken on one side of a baking sheet. Spread top of each with 1 tsp honey Dijon dressing (save the rest for serving). Mound with pecan mixture, pressing firmly to adhere (no need to coat the undersides).
4. Roast chicken on top rack for 12 minutes (chicken will finish cooking in the next step). Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss asparagus with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. (You’ll roast the asparagus in the next step.)
5. Meanwhile, remove biscuits from package. Separate biscuits; place at least 2 inches apart on a second lightly oiled baking sheet. (For 4, carefully add biscuits to sheet with chicken.) Once chicken has roasted 12 minutes, carefully spread asparagus on opposite side of sheet from chicken and add sheet with biscuits to middle rack. (For 4 servings, add asparagus to a second sheet; roast chicken on top rack and asparagus on middle rack.) Bake until biscuits and chicken are golden brown and cooked through and asparagus is tender, 8-11 minutes. TIP: If chicken is done before asparagus, remove from sheet and continue roasting asparagus.
6. Meanwhile, place 2 TBSP butter (3 TBSP for 4 servings) in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until just softened, 10-15 seconds. Stir in remaining garlic powder and remaining chopped thyme; season with salt and pepper.
7. Carefully toss roasted asparagus with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Split biscuits and spread with garlic thyme butter. Divide asparagus, chicken and biscuits between plates. Drizzle chicken with remaining honey Dijon dressing. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen asparagus?

Fresh asparagus is recommended for best texture, but you can use frozen if thawed and patted dry. Roasting time may vary slightly.

What can I substitute for pecans?

Walnuts or almonds work well as a substitute. Chop them finely to mimic the pecan texture.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, use a dairy-free butter alternative and check that your biscuits are dairy-free. The honey Dijon dressing is typically dairy-free.