Walnut Crusted Chicken with a Cinnamon Sage Sauce

I came up with this recipe to accompany the risotto and Pumpkin Spice Chardonnay from these lovely people.  We absolutely loved the walnut crusted chicken, and this was the first time I'd done this type of coating.  The sauce turned out great as well, and the hint of sage and cinnamon complemented the other components of the meal so well.












Walnut Crusted Chicken with Cinnamon Sage Sauce
Serves: 4

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 egg whites (1/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or oat bran
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped finely
  
• 8 leaves of fresh sage, divided
• 2 Tablespoons minced shallot or onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 dry white wine (use low sodium chicken stock here to keep it clean... or say "the hell with it!" and use the wine anyway!)
  
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry.  On a small plate, combine the flour, salt, and pepper.  On a second plate, add the egg whites.  On a third plate, add the walnuts and bread crumbs or oat bran. 
2. Dredge chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.  Follow with egg white and walnut mixture, pressing to adhere mixture to chicken.  Transfer to a platter.  Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.  Place chicken in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set the coating.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  When chicken has chilled, heat a large stainless steel oven safe skillet over medium heat.  Add oil once the pan is heat.  When oil is hot, add chicken to pan and cook until browned, about 5 minutes each side.  Place one sage leaf on top of each piece of chicken, then place pan the oven and bake chicken until the internal temperature reached 165 degrees, about 15 minutes.
   
4. Transfer chicken from pan to serving platter while returning sage leaves to the pan, cover chicken with foil to keep warm. 
5. Add shallot and cinnamon stick to pan, saute until shallot is soft. 
6. Add wine and deglaze the pan, til wine is almost evaporated.
7. Add chicken broth, simmer until reduced by half.  Strain sauce and serve over chicken.  Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.