Malibu Chicken (Kentucky Style)

      MALIBU CHICKEN (Kentucky Style)       

       How you put together ingredients sometimes makes a big impact on the way food tastes.  Chicken Cordon Bleu and Malibu Chicken have the same essential ingredients, but are inside out from each other.  Basically, they are both breaded chicken, ham, and cheese.  Malibu chicken has cheese as the outer wear, thus, it speaks more loudly flavor wise.

 The name Malibu Chicken comes from an entree served by the Sizzler Steakhouse, the chain had a location in Owensboro Kentucky years ago.  Their website describes Malibu Chicken as “from the Pacific Coastline comes two slices of perfect heaven”, made with a breaded chicken patty, shaved ham and melted Swiss cheese.

As with a surprising amount of recipes, there’s a healthier version, without sacrificing flavor.  A couple of changes to this recipe actually not only make it healthier, but tastier.

The first change from Sizzler’s version is a fresh or thawed chicken breast rather than a preformed patty, although if you’re in a rush or your family prefers the patty, you can use patties.  The breast does reduce sodium as well as fat, though, so it is worth a few extra minutes thawing and cooking the breasts. 

 Another change is to use ground or finely chopped pecans as part of the coating on the chicken breast.  Pecan coated or crusted chicken breasts are served in several local restaurants, in salads. Chopped pecans are available in local groceries, or pecan meal (finely chopped pecans- no salt or anything added) is available online, or you can finely chop pecans in a food processor or blender.  Any pecans left over, which haven’t been around the chicken, may be frozen for later use, so if you’re chopping, make extra ones now.

To make Malibu Chicken for four servings, follow this recipe.  For fewer servings, simply reduce the number of chicken breasts, or increase for more servings.

                                     MALIBU CHICKEN BREASTS

• 4 chicken breasts, fresh or thawed (quicker to thaw- about 8 frozen chicken tenderloins)
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans, or pecan meal
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 4, thin slices or shaved, ham, deli, honey, or black forest
• 4 slices Swiss or provolone cheese

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Meanwhile, mix pecans and flour on small plate.  Roll each chicken breast in the mixture, and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

 Bake about 15 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink, but don’t overcook until it is too dry.  Remove from oven and top each breast with a slice of ham, then cheese.  Return to oven for about another 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. 

Serve with a salad and green beans for a healthy, tasty dinner you can have on the table in under half an hour, without a crew of sous chefs preparing foods off stage.