If you’ve read my bio on the blog you know my weaknesses. I have to admit, I left one out. Food TV. Don’t act shocked about it, you had to guess that I was a sucker for anything food related too, not just everything on Bravo. The one show I try and actually watch during the day in the circus that is our house is The Chew. I’ve been a fan since the very first episode and to this day I love watching along. Somewhere in the back of my mind I think I have convinced myself I know the hosts personally because when my husband gets home from work in the evenings I sometimes say “You’ll never guess what prank Clinton pulled on Symon today!” Sometimes when there has been an episode that is just too good to describe, I save it for him and play him the sections that are hilarious.
This recipe, interestingly enough, is from one of two people on the show who is not actually a chef. Clinton Kelly made this chicken on the show and that evening I bought the macadamia nuts to make it at home. Fast forward probably another month, I finally made the recipe. It is as delicious as it looked on tv and my oldest ate an entire piece of chicken, which by the way is cause for a ticker tape parade in our house. It was done in 30 minutes, and a hush came over the dinner table as we all just devoured the meal.
I included the recipe for the crusted version of this dish, but I made and photographed a version with grilled chicken as well. Sometimes in the summer it is nice to just make a simple grilled chicken with a fruit salsa. Finally, make sure you check back in on Saturday to see how I make the leftovers into a delicious main course salad and re-purpose the salsa into a dressing! Exciting, I know! I bet you can hardly wait! 
Add 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper to the flour in a bowl. Set up a dredging station, one with eggs, one with the flour mixture, and one with the mixture of macadamia nuts and panko. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. I don’t pound chicken with a mallet, instead I score it, as you can see in the pictures. I do this with most breaded chicken, especially fried chicken, because I find that the breading adheres really well into the scored sections of the chicken. 
Dredge the chicken with the flour, then in eggs and finally into the panko mixture. I press the panko into the chicken then very gently remove it from the bowl and put onto a baking sheet. Repeat with all the pieces of chicken. Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat. Cook the chicken in the pan for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
Remove to a cooling rack. Don’t put it onto paper towels because the crust will get soggy.
To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Macadamia Crusted Chicken with Pineapple-Jalapeno Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
- 1 1/2 cups crushed macadamia nuts
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 pound chicken breasts , sliced in half into thin filets and scored (see photo)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- pineapple jalapeno salsa
- 2 cup pineapple , diced into 1/4" chunks
- 2 scallions , green parts only, chopped
- 1 jalapeno , deveined and deseeded, chopped finely
- 1 juicy lime (juice and zest)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup cilantro , chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Add 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper to the flour in a bowl.
-
Set up a dredging station, one with eggs, one with the flour mixture, and one with the mixture of macadamia nuts and panko.
-
Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
-
Dredge the chicken with the flour, then in eggs and finally into the panko mixture.
-
I press the panko into the chicken then very gently remove it from the bowl and put onto a baking sheet.
-
Repeat with all the pieces of chicken
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat.
-
Cook the chicken in the pan for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
-
Remove to a cooling rack. Don't put it onto paper towels because the crust will get soggy.
-
To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Clinton Kelly's Recipeon the Chew
Don’t forget to check back here on Saturday morning to find the round two version of this dish, recreated into a salad!
Good job! Looks very good and healthy.
Thanks! It helps to balance out all the cookie dough cupcakes 🙂
I insta-pinned this! This looks amazing i am not a fish fan like that but with this amazing recipe with the pineapple jalepeno I must try!!!
Thanks for the pin!
This recipe looks and sounds amazing! I would love to try this! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
Alright, so my FIL doesn’t eat chicken… I know… Lame. So what meat do you suggest I sub this with because I have to make this for them while we’re visiting…
FISH!! Sea bass, salmon! Pork would work well too 🙂
My mouth is watering right now. This looks absolutely delicious, the pineapple jalapeno salsa sounds heavenly. The flavors must just pop!
Yes! The sweet and heat worked really well together!
Yummy chicken take me away! I never thought to crust with macadamia nuts, so tasty for summer!
The macadamia nuts add a great buttery toasted flavor! You’ll love them!
Heaven help me, but I literally just wrote down the few ingredients I need to make this tonight!! SO full of yum!
Awesome!! I hope you love it!
Mmmmmmm, tasty. Looks like a real summer treat. Fall and winter too. I could eat this all year.
Thanks!
This looks amazing!!! I pinned it to try soon.
Thanks for the pin! I hope you love it!
Showing my age here, I can remember when the Food Network first started and their were like 6 shows in rotation and none of them were fancy like they are now. I grew up watching Julia Childs and even watched all her old episodes in black and white on reruns. I just adored her. I don’t have cable now so I either watch the shows available on Netflix or Hulu or watch the PBS Create channel. Some great cooking shows there. We do have an antenna so i can get a few local channels.
You can totally watch the Chew! It is on ABC! It is a riot, I look forward to it every day.
We made a lot of chicken lately. I’m going to put this on our list as recipes to make.
Awesome, I hope you love it!
While the chicken sounds great, that salsa is what has me interested. I have to try the combo of sweet and spicy for myself.
The salsa is great! I’ve put it on so many things. I even once put it in a grilled cheese sandwich with cream cheese as the cheese. It was ridiculously good.
That looks so yummy. I never thought about macademia to crust a chicken.
They add such a great toasted flavor!
This dish looks delicious! It’s making me hungry just looking at it!
Then mission accomplished! haha.
Chicken’s been on sale lately. Even if I have to pay the regular price, I am anxious to try the Macadamia Crusted Chicken recipe. It looks delicious.
Thanks, we have had great pricing on chicken here too!
I’m always looking for new and creative chicken recipes. The salsa looks so fresh.
Thanks! Hope you enjoy it.
I like the little kick with the jalepeno. I think it sounds fantastic.
Thank you!
Thank you!
How interesting! I bet the pineapple adds a lot of flavor.
Your recipes have had me drooling! I love the creativity behind this one (and wish macadamias were cheaper!)
Clinton had a great alternative he mentioned during the show. You can also use cashews and the flavors would be great!
This looks really good. I have never cooked with macadamia nuts. Thanks for the recipe.
Anytime!
I really like that the fresh salsa cuts the heaviness of a breaded chicken. The combination sounds wonderful and very tasty!
Thanks! The salsa does really brighten up all the flavors!
That chicken looks soooo delicious! Lovin’ the salsa!!
P.S. I’m addicted to Bravo. haha 😀
This may cement our need to be friends if you are also Team Vanderpump!
This is such a cool recipe! That sweet/spicy salsa sounds so good, especially with some perfectly seasoned chicken.
Thanks!
Oh this looks so good. I haven’t ever had macadamia chicken before. This would be a completely new one for us and I’m pretty sure We’d all love it!
My oldest loved it, I bet your kids would too! The flavors are not too strange for kids and the panko keeps the chicken so crispy!
This looks delicious! I love macadamia nuts but have never thought to eat them like this.
Before this I had only enjoyed them alone, with chocolate or in a cookie. This is a great savory way to try them!
I think I could eat that pineapple jalapeño salsa on just about anything!
Agreed! With the small drizzle of honey that is in it, it is SO GOOD!
Oh wow this dish looks and sounds so delicious! I’m going to prepare it at home!
Hope you love it!
That crusting looks soooo good. I would make this for my family easily.
Thank you! I hope you make it, it was a huge hit with my family too!
I’ve never watched the chew, but this chicken look delicious – both ways
You have to watch it, it is a foodie party every day!
That sounds amazing. I love the combination of the sweetness of the pineapple and the heat of the jalapeno.
Thanks! The salsa is also great on chips!
That sounds absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family!
I think I just fell in love with chicken again. At least a little bit anyway. Can’t wait to make this with a cooler salsa. (my wife is allergic to jalapenos.)
Aww thanks! I also once made a salsa with cucumber instead of jalapeno!
This sounds absolutely delicious, I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love macadamia nuts but I’ve never used them like this.
Thanks! They have such a great flavor because when you cook the chicken, they toast a bit in the pan too! And it smells FANTASTIC!
This dish sounds tasty and refreshing. I like it when fruits are incorporated to meats.
Thanks!