Walnut Chicken with Balsalmic Glaze

Okay, so Hy-Vee has some suspiciously large chickens--I'm talking Frankenchickens. Still, a sale is a sale, and I've been trying to come up with more creative ways to clear out that mass of bird in the freezer, especially ones that won't harden my arteries while I chew, lol. This I served with edamame (yum) and brown rice (double yum), but anything in that range would work just fine...

Anyway, here's my latest:

Walnut-Crusted Chicken with Balsalmic Glaze

Difficulty: Moderate

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes? (depends on cut of bird)

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2 large carrots, cut matchstick style
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut matchstick style
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 good size double-handful walnuts, crushed
1 cup balsalmic vinegar, approx.
1 egg white, whipped to froth
1 handful of strawberries, sliced
1 good size handful brown sugar
3 tsp dried basil, approx (I used my own from the garden; it was two full-sized dried stems of it)
1 tsp dried ginger
1 tsp dried nutmeg
2 twists of pepper from grinder
2 handfuls flour
EVOO  as needed
2 Frankenchicken breasts (approx. 3 lbs chicken)

Preheat oven to 425. Place jelly roll pan in oven while preheating.

Line up three pie tins. In pie tin 1, place flour, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and 2 tsp of basil. In pie tin 2, place frothy egg white. In pie tin 3, place crushed up walnuts. Coat raw chicken with the flour mixture--on the meaty side, not the bony side--and then coat that with the egg white, and then coat that with the walnuts. Remove jelly roll pan from oven, brush lightly with oil and place the Frankenchicken breast nut-side-down onto it. Bake on a low rack for, say, 20 minutes. (This is approximate. Bake until 3/4 of the way done, basically.) If it smells like the nuts are burning or the chicken, dry, you can add EVVO in drizzles, at will, while baking.

While chicken is baking, combine balsalmic,  approx 1 tsp of EVOO (again, approximate), remaining basil, and brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Once boiling, keep at a roll, stirring constantly. Smell occassionally; when it no longer makes your eyes and nose burn, it's done. Very scientific, I know. Should have a texture similar to warm caramel when ready for serving.

Once chicken is baked 3/4 way done, remove from oven. Layer onions, carrots and bell peppers on top of the nut-less sides. May need to add EVOO. Drizzle with balsalmic glaze and place in oven; finish baking.

As chicken is baking, arrange sliced strawberries in beds on plates. Drizzle thoroughly with balsalmic glaze.

When chicken is finished, remove from oven. Using tongs, take the veggies from the top; these will be the minor/second side dish. Flip chicken. If the walnut crust sticks to pan at all, lightly lift with a spoon or spatula and rearrange on top of chicken. Slice chicken as desired, making sure each person gets some of the walnut crust, and place atop the bed of strawberries. Drizzle with glaze.

Serve immediately with choice of appetizer and main side!