Coconut Chicken With a Tropical Mango Rum Sauce

Rita~'s Note:

I made this for Ready Set Cook 2006. This Easy, Sweet, Caribbean recipe consist of chicken strips coated with coconut and fried with a warm rum mango sauce with a little kick. Scotch Bonnet Pepper are very HOT! Be careful not to get in your eyes. Best to wear gloves when handling. Serve over rice for a main meal or as appetizers.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

Dusting for chicken

• ½ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½-2 lbs chicken breasts , cut into strips

Mango rum sauce

• ¼ cup rum
• 2 large mangoes , peeled and diced
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon grated cinnamon
• 1⁄3; cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large fresh lime juice , and zest or
• 1 large fresh lemon juice , and zest
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon scotch bonnet pepper (optional)

Coating for Chicken

• 3 egg whites
• 2 ½ cups grated coconut
• oil , to fry

Directions:

1. Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a large container with a top. Add chicken pieces, toss till coated and set aside.
2. Place all Mango Rum Sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. Add to a pot and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Keep warm.
3. Whisk egg whites till frothy. Toss in chicken pieces till coated.
4. Place coconut in a bowl and dip each piece of chicken to coat with coconut.
5. Set aside.
6. Place enough oil to cover bottom of a large pan by 1/2 inch and heat to medium high.
7. Cook 1/2 the chicken at a time about 4-5 minutes each side. Do not over crowd the pan.
8. Drain cooked chicken on paper towels.
9. Place chicken on a serving platter serve with Mango Rum Sauce.

Reviews

[alligirl]

Yum! We really enjoyed these coconut tenders. I think that using the blender made my dipping sauce alot more like applesauce, but no matter, as the taste was great. Next time, though, I'll use my food processor, to leave it a little more 'chunky'. The flavor was really good, from the tenders and the sauce, as the rum undertones were very nice. Thanks for being a creative force, Rita~, and sharing these tidbits with everyone!

[Rachie P]

Total Keeper. I baked mine to keep it healthier, and accidentally overbaked it since it's hard to tell in the oven when white chicken coated in white coconut is fully cooked! I baked it at 400 for about 45 minutes (my chicken was partially frozen too). It was yummy. The sauce for us was pretty thick, more like a compote, but still good. Thank you for a new recipe!

[Starrynews]

Yum, yum yum!! We loved this. I omitted the salt (personal preference) and used a lemon for the juice and zest. Thanks for sharing! ZWT7