Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken in Idaho

Our family had the pleasure of taking a quick weekend trip to visit Dick and JoAnne (Aunt JoJo) at their summer home in Sun Valley, Idaho last week.

Sun Valley welcomes United Airlines' direct flight from Denver - love it !!

The Sun Valley / Ketchum / Hailey communities are truly beautiful, charismatic and filled with culture, art and incredibly quaint, culinary wonders.  Upon arriving we headed to Despo's "Mexican with Altitude" for a late dinner in Ketchum.  Excellent margaritas, salsa and shrimp tacos.  My daughters even loved their made-to-order bean and cheese burrito for one and the carne asada street tacos for the other.

Sun Valley Lodge

The next day we started off touring the breathtaking Sun Valley Lodge and its beautiful resort.  They have anything you could think of for both summer and winter stays, complete with ice shows, concerts, sports and family activities, not to mentioned the shopping village that has everything you could imagine.

The tranquil lake in front of Sun Valley Lodge

We then headed into town late afternoon for all the items needed for our happy hour platter, wines and JoAnne's amazing Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken, made famous by Chef Jeff Keys Vintage Restaurant
in Ketchum.  He even wrote a beautiful cookbook (that I immediately ordered and it arrived yesterday, thank you very much) featuring his world class dishes from the restaurant.

It was a perfect and most welcoming evening.  Great food, wines, laughs and conversation......

Our wonderful happy hour complete with roasted garlic, Cambazola cheese
and mango salsa paired with Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc

All happy hours should be enjoyed while dancing.

Beautiful sunset from their deck.

Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken with Sour Cream Mustard Sauce,
 Tomato and Black Currant Chutney,
Baked Yukon Gold Gorgonzola Smashed Potatoes and Caesar Salad

Sun Valley Pecan-Crusted Chicken
from the "Vintage Restaurant" cookbook by Jeff Keys

For the Pecan Saltine Cracker Crumbs:
1-1/2 cps coarsely ground pecans
1-1/2 cups ground saltine crackers

Mix the ground pecans and saltine crackers in a medium size bowl.  Set aside.

Four the Sour Cream Mustard Sauce:
1-1/2 cups sour cream
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

Blend well in a small bowl and set aside.

For the Dijon-Mustard Butter Rub:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

For the Chicken:
(4) 5-ounce boneless and skinless chicken breasts

To make the chicken, lightly pound each breast to about 3/8 inch thick.  Take each chicken breast and coat one side with the painting of the mustard butter.

  Put the breast, mustard-butter-side-down, in the saltine cracker crumb mixture.  Give it a firm press so the crumbs adhere.  Repeat for the other side.  Do this to all of the chicken breasts and put them on a platter until you are ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  To cook the chicken, melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 12-inch saute pan.  When the butter is hot, add the chicken breasts.  Cook them for about 3 minutes.  They should be turning a nice, crispy medium brown color.  Turn them over and cook for 3 more minutes.  Remove the chicken breasts to a baking sheet, saving the crumbs that remain in the saute pan.

Put the baking sheet int eh oven and cook the breasts for about 5 more minutes.  While the chicken is cooking, add 8 tablespoons of the Sour Cream Mustard Sauce to the saute pan that the chicken cooked in; blend the crumbs and juices from the chicken with the sour cream mixture, just before the chicken is done cooking, heat up the sauce until it is just bubbly.

Take the chicken out of the oven and place 1 breast on each plate and serve with a dollop of the Sour Cream Mustard Sauce.