Paula Deen's Pecan Chicken

I can't believe I'm saying this, but last night, I made a Paula Deen recipe that was actually a little bit disappointing. I'd been looking forward to trying her pecan chicken since I put it on the menu last week, but in the end I just wasn't blown away by it. The crust didn't get nearly as crispy as I would have liked; it looks crispier in the pictures than it actually was. I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that I used boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of bone-in chicken; I'm not sure. In any case, I don't know if I'll be making this again.


Pecan Chicken
Source: The Lady and Sons Savannah Country Cookbook, also found on Food Network

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup ground pecans
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sesame seeds (omitted; I didn't have any)
2 (2 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into quarters or pieces (I used one pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Melt butter in a 10 x 15-inch baking pan. In a shallow dish, combine buttermilk and egg. In another dish combine flour, pecans, salt, paprika, pepper, and sesame seeds.

3. Dip chicken in buttermilk then in flour. Place skin side down in melted butter. Turn to coat and leave skin side up. Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes. (I reduced the cooking time since I used chicken breasts.)