Favorite Recipe: Pecan-Crusted Oven "fried" Chicken

Finding quick, easy, non-messy, good tasting, healthy food is hard sometimes. Seriously. I have about 5 million copies of Shape, Self, Cooking Light, and Eating Well, and half the time I look at the recipes and move past them because they require 20 different pots and pans and 40 different ingredients, and they're STILL bland.

Well here's an easy recipe for a tasty, crunchy, "fried" chicken piece that you can eat with some veggies, or on a salad, or in a wrap AND it requires only 1 pan and a ziplock bag. The chicken comes in just under 300 calories, leaving plenty of room in a 400 calorie lunch or dinner for the sides. I had it with a baked sweet potato (topped with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice) and a mixed green salad with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Pecan-Crusted Oven "fried" Chicken
Serves One

• 3 tablespoons crushed pecans (I used about 8 Trader Joes Spiced Pecans for a little more flavor)
• 2 tablespoons panko
• fresh or dried rosemary, crushed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 boneless skinless chicken thigh (or breast - I detest boneless skinless chicken breast, and they only save you a few calories and 2 grams of fat and have less iron. But it's your choice)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Place the pecans in a quart-sized ziplock bag; crush using a mallet (or hammer, or the bottom of a glass...your choice). Add the panko, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken in the bag and shake to coat evenly. Place the chicken on a baking pan and cook till done (I think it was about 15, maybe 20 minutes). Enjoy!

Oops! I forgot to take a picture - I'll definitely make it a habit. Gotta get used to this blogging thing