Pecan-Crusted Chicken Waffle Sandwiches

I think pecans are my favorite nuts, even if I hate saying that word out loud, because I don't like either common pronunciation.  They are so scrumptious.  This recipe is from Simple & Delicious.  Normally I would skip a recipe like this because nobody here likes nuts but me.  But in this case you grind the pecans up so fine, I thought I could slip them through.  And it worked! 

Pecan-Crusted Chicken Waffle Sandwiches
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 egg
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup maple syrup, divided
1 cup finely chopped pecans
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
3/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp pepper, divided
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
8 frozen waffles, toasted (I did buy these, but you can also make them homemade, which is what I will probably do next time)

Flatten chicken to 1/2" thickness.  Whisk egg and 1/2 cup syrup in a shallow bowl.  Combine the pecans, bread crumbs, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper in another shallow bowl.  Dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat with pecan mixture.

Cook chicken in oil in batches in a large skillet over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink.  Combine the mustard, vinegar, and remaining syrup, salt, and pepper (I didn't make the mustard sauce to go with this...to start I didn't have any brown mustard, and also I just wanted syrup).

Drizzle 1 tbsp sauce mixture over each of 4 waffles; top with chicken and drizzle with remaining sauce mixture.  Top with remaining waffles.

Oh my, this was good.  Really really good.  The pecan breading was awesome.  Emma & Nathan didn't want theirs as a sandwich, they had their waffles on the side with butter and syrup.  The other 3 of us had it as a sandwich.  It was so fabulous.  I can't wait to make it again.

One thing I did that this doesn't say to do was drain the chicken on paper towels after it was cooked.  I used a bit more oil than it called for, because I made 6 chicken breast halves instead of 4, so maybe if you stuck with 4 and 1/4 cup oil you would be fine, but I did blot mine off.  We had this with fruit--apples, pineapple chunks, and strawberries--which was a nice light side to go with it.