Spicy Pepita-crusted Chicken with Cilantro Dressing

For those of you with crawling babies, answer this question: HOW ON EARTH DO YOU COOK WITH YOUR BABY AROUND??? I normally can handle it, but with Van crawling around everywhere, I feel like I can't get anything done in the kitchen. Like, "Hurry quick and wash the raw chicken off my hands so I can grab Van before he climbs up the stairs." Or, "Finish chopping that green onion before Van digs into the house plants."

While I was cooking this, Van was all over the place and then Jack decided it would be awesome to fall down the stairs. So I have chicken in the oven, Van pulling apart the pots and pans drawer and Jack bawling his brains out like his limbs have been cut off. Boy I hate that kind of chaos. But I had kids by choice, so I have to figure out how to hack it.

Enough about my insane children, what about this recipe? I love it when I nail a recipe. This one was nail gunned to the wall. Even though I was going to cut off my own head when I was making this, it was quick on the prep, clean in the flavors and fresh in the ingredients. Big time pleaser in our house (after everyone stopped screaming, including me) and hopefully in yours as well.



2 cups raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/4 tsp chile powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 slice fresh bread
1 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 eggs
4 chicken breasts, halved horizontally, making 8 chicken portions

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pepitas, oregano, cumin, chile powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and bread slice. Process until the pepitas are finely ground. Transfer mixture to a shallow dish. Rinse out the food processor bowl and set aside for the cilantro dressing.

In another shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. And then in another dish, add the eggs and whisk. Create an assembly line with the egg dish, flour dish and pepita dish. Dip the chicken in the eggs first, then the flour, back into the eggs and then into the pepitas mixture. Set the crusted chicken onto the baking sheet and repeat with other chicken pieces. Once all pieces are crusted, bake for 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a serving platter.

For the dressing:
1 bunch cilantro, stems cut off
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a blender, combine the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. While the machine is running, add the olive oil. Scrape the sides down and pour into a small jug or pitcher and serve with the chicken.

Yields 4-6 servings.