Hazelnut Crusted Chicken

Chicken gets boring for me.  So I am frequently on the search for a new recipe that will spice chicken up a bit.

I tried making Nutella fudge this past weekend - what a disaster - and so had some left over hazelnuts.  Stumbled onto this recipe in my brandy snifter of recipes. 

It was good. I couldn't be bothered with the Gorgonzola sauce, so I just had the chicken.  It was tasty. I'm not very good at sauteing a chicken in a skillet and then plopping it in the oven.  I usually burn said chicken. And this time was no different. My hazelnuts, we could say, were very toasted.

If you like hazelnuts you'll like this.  It adds a nice, yet flavorful crust to the chicken. And what the heck, step out some and try the Gorgonzola sauce.

Hazelnut Crusted Chicken with Gorgonzola Sauce
Serves 4

• 2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 cup chopped hazelnuts, available on baking aisle
• 4 (6-ounce) pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup Gorgonzola
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, plus extra for garnish – substitute 1 teaspoon dried sage and stir into sauce, if fresh is not available

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix flour, poultry seasoning and garlic powder in a dish. Beat egg whites in a shallow plate or bowl. Place hazelnuts on a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap on a cutting board or work surface.

Preheat a nonstick skillet with oven safe handle over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Turn in flour to dust the breasts, then turn in egg whites, then press breasts into nuts on both sides. Wash hands. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan and add chicken. Brown the nuts and chicken 2 minutes on each side then transfer to the oven and finish cooking the chicken through, about 8 minutes.

In a small pot, warm milk over medium heat. Add cheese and melt it into the milk. Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped sage and simmer 5 minutes.

To serve, place chicken on plates and pour a couple of spoons of the Gorgonzola sauce over the center of each piece. Garnish with chopped sage.