Recipe: O'Charley's Pecan Chicken Tender Salad (copycat recipe)

O'CHARLEY'S PECAN CHICKEN TENDER SALAD

"Pecan-encrusted chicken served warm on a bed of crisp romaine lettuce with mandarin oranges, crumbled bleu cheese, dried cranberries and honey roasted Georgia pecans. Served with our Balsamic Vinaigrette." - O'Charley's Menu Description

FOR THE PECAN TENDERS:
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 pounds chicken tenders
Salt and pepper
1 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten with a splash of milk
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup pecans, processed in food processor to finely chop
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 tablespoon orange juice

FOR THE SALADS:
Romaine lettuce, torn in bite-size pieces
Crumbled bleu cheese
Dried cranberries
Honey Roasted Pecans, chopped (recipe follows)
Mandarin orange slices
Balsamic vinaigrette dressing

TO MAKE THE PECAN TENDERS:
Heat 1-inch of oil over medium heat. Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper.

Set out three dishes. In the first dish, place the flour. In the second, eggs beaten with milk. In the third dish, combine bread crumbs, ground pecans, nutmeg and orange juice.

Coat tenders in flour, then egg, then pecan mixture. Place tenders on a plate to reserve for frying. Fry in batches 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Slice into thirds.

TO MAKE THE SALAD:
For every serving of salad (in individual shallow salad bowls) toss together 2 1/2 cups of lettuce, 2 teaspoons crumbled bleu cheese, 2 teaspoons dried cranberries, 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped honey roasted pecans and two mandarin orange slices cut in half. Place tenders on top of salad. Drizzle dressing on salads at the table.

HONEY ROASTED PECANS

1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stir together honey salt, then add pecans, tossing to coat well. Spread pecans in one layer in a shallow baking pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then stir pecans and bake for 3 to 5 minutes more. Working quickly, transfer to wax paper sheet to cool. While the pecans are still warm separate them with a fork. Once they are cool chop pecans if desired.

Makes 4 servings
Adapted from source: Famous Restaurant Recipes by Sallie Stone