Pecan Chicken And Bacon Sandwich

As I was going through my my ever growing recipe pile sitting on my desk, I found  this recipe that I had torn out from our local newspaper quite a while ago.

It was exactly what I felt like making and eating for dinner tonight. I baked a few more chicken breast for future lunches and salads too! I left some of them without nuts for my kiddos! Everyone loved this sandwich. The chicken is really flavorful and moist and the bacon doesn't hurt either! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
6 sandwich buns
6 slices bacon, cooked and cut into halves (See note).
Lettuce
Red onion slices
Tomato slices


Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Season both sides with black pepper. Brush the top of each breast with 1/2 tablespoon of mustard and sprinkle pecans on top of the mustard. Bake the chicken for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and lest rest for 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1/4-inch slices crosswise.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining tablespoon of mustard, mayonnaise and honey. Lightly coat both sides of the sandwich buns with the mustard sauce. Lay 3-4 slices of the chicken on the bottom of the bun. Top the chicken with 2 half pieces of bacon and additional toppings. 

Serves 6

Recipe adapted from Meredith Deeds

Note about cooking bacon: I always cook my bacon on a parchment covered baking sheet in the oven. This gives you perfectly flat slices with less work, less mess and less clean up.  A complete win, win, win! Cook on 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness. Check it a few times for doneness to your liking. In this case I baked the bacon as the chicken was baking as well. Put the bacon in the oven on the rack above the sheet of chicken after the chicken has cooked for about 15 minutes. Leave in a few minutes after you have removed the chicken.