Coconut Cashew Crusted Chicken

Submitted by BlueDiva

"Delicious twist on breaded chicken strips. The coconut crust is delicate, so these are best served up hot, as soon as they're out of the frying pan, and everything else is already on the plate. A thick, mild curry sauce spooned over top is a wonderful addition. I made these up off the top of my head, but the flavors are all borrowed from Thai cuisine."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 2

ingredients

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 236.59 ml shredded coconut (sweetened is fine)
• 118.29 ml cashews (raw is better)
• 118.29 ml finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 limes (or 1 large lemon, if you prefer)
• 29.58 ml your favorite marinade (i.e. tequilla-lime, ginger-soy)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 118.29 ml flour
• 44.37 ml cooking oil, pan (for frying)

directions

1. Slice each chicken breasts horizontally to yield 3-4 thin, flat pieces, not unlike schnitzel.
2. Grate the zest from both limes and set aside. Juice the limes into a marinating bowl, mix in your chosen marinade (something saucy with a sweet note will work well) and leave the chicken to marinate in this for at least 30 minutes. (This is the passive cooking time.).
3. Chop or crush the cashews into small pieces. The, in a shallow bowl, combine the cashews, coconut, cilantro, and lime zest.
4. Put the flour into a shallow bowl. Mix egg with 1 tablespoon of water, and pour this into another shallow bowl. Put these beside your bowl of coconut mixture and your assembly line is complete.
5. Pour oil into a frying pan and turn on heat to medium-high.
6. Coat the marinated chicken pieces in flour, then egg, then coconut mixture. Shake off excess coconut and don't aim for 100% coverage.
7. Gently put coated chicken strips into hot oil. Fry each side until golden-brown, flipping gently so as not to lift off the coconut coating. Oil should be deep enough for lots of sizzle, but not deep enough to float all coconut off the chicken.
8. Serve immediately, or let rest on paper towels for a few minutes before serving. These are delicious with spiced yam mash and a fresh salad with citrus dressing. Enjoy!