• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 to 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
• 1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
• 1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon:salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (see Note)
• 1 large eggwhite
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

Preparation

1. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Place pecans, breadcrumbs, orange zest, salt and ground chipotle in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Whisk egg white and water in a shallow dish until combined.
3. Dip each chicken breast in the egg-white mixture, then dredge both sides in the pecan mixture.
4. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
5. Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining oil. Cook the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Serve immediately.

Tips

1. It can be hard to find individual chicken breasts small enough for our recommended 4-ounce (uncooked) portion size. If yours are closer to 5 ounces each, remove the tender (about 1 ounce) from the underside to get the correct portion size. Wrap and freeze the leftover tenders; when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry, for chicken fingers or in soups.

Note:

1. Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeno peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.

Per serving: 281 calories; 15 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 8 g mono unsaturated fat); 66 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 2 g fiber; 430 mg sodium; 376 mg potassium

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (34% daily value), good source of omega-3s.

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 lean meat, 1/2 fat

Contributed by: EatingWell.com

This recipe coats tender chicken breasts with buttery pecans flavored with spicy chipotle and zesty orange. Serve with a spinach salad.