Caribbean Coconut Chicken Bites With Mango Cream

Submitted by startnover

"The Mango cream is key to these, so don't forget to dunk them! Be careful not to cut the pieces too large, it is raw chicken and must be cooked through, so if you cut them to large the coating will burn."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• Chicken

• 1 1⁄2 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 1⁄4 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk (may need more if the batter is to thick)
• 1 tablespoon rum extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut extract
• 4 -5 slices white bread
• 3⁄4 cup flaked coconut
• oil (for frying)

• Mango Cream for dipping

• 1 large ripe mango, peeled and pitted
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon coconut extract
• 1⁄3 cup sugar

directions

1. Mango cream:

2. Place the mango in a mini food processor and pulse till it is a pulp.
3. Scrape all of this into a bowl adding the sour cream, sugar, and extract. Mix well and set aside. Do not refrigerate this, it is best served at room temperature.
4. For Chicken -- in a bowl place 1 cup plus 2 T flour and set aside.
5. In another bowl place the remaining flour (1 cup plus 2 T), sugar, and salt.
6. Stir milk and extracts into this. The mixture should resemble a thin pancake batter (you may have to add a little more milk).
7. Set this aside.
8. Place the bread slices in a food processor and pulse till you have fine crumbs, measure out approx 1-1/2 cups.
9. Place these on a pie pan and place in a 350°F oven till lightly toasted and dried out.
10. Mix toasted bread crumbs in a third bowl with the coconut.
11. Preheat a deep fryer with oil according to the directions of the fryer.
12. Place a cooling rack on a large cookie sheet and cover the rack with paper towels.
13. Now one at a time drag each chicken bite through the pan with just flour, then using a slotted spoon drop it into the milk mixture coat well and use the spoon to retrieve it.
14. Drop the coated bite into the coconut mixture being careful not to get to much of the excess wet mixture into the coconut. cover evenly with the coconut mixture and set on a second cookie sheet.
15. After all the chicken pieces are ready begin to cook them in the hot oil. Just do a few at a time to keep your oil from cooling to much and becoming gummy. The heat time will vary a great deal on this because it is raw meat and it depends on how big of chunks you make them. Make sure they are cooked completely, you may want to test the first one out and see how long it takes to get it done thoroughly.
16. I cook mine for approx 5 minutes and the batter should turn a nice golden brown.
17. Remove from oil and drain on the cookie sheet that has been prepared with paper towels. Serve with mango cream.

Reviews

[PRINCESS JEN 420]

I haven't tried it yet but man! It sure sounds like something my daughter will love as will i

 

[Dee Fischer]

Excellent.!!!!!!!!

 

[JTsMom]

These are fantastic! The Mango Cream really “takes the cake”. I used almost 2 lb. of chicken (4 lg. breast halves) and by the time I cut them into bite size portions; I had about 35 -40 pieces. I had plenty flour and batter however; I did need to prepare more of the breadcrumb/coconut coating. (I used plain store bought breadcrumbs). Since I do not deep fry much, this was the first time I used my new deep fryer (5 QT. with 48 ounces Oil) ; I wasn’t sure how many to fry at one time and ended doing them in batches of eight, for five minuets. I kept them warm in the oven, on another cookie sheet. I could have probably fried at least 10+ at a time. The chicken bites came out crisp, golden brown, very tender, and moist. I must learn how to take and publish pictures, they looked beautiful. The mango cream sauce, I could eat it with a spoon, it was so good (rich). It really does need to sit out at room temperature, as doing so allows the flavors to meld and the consistency becomes light and velvety, Yum! The only constructive advice I can personally give; it takes a lot longer than 35 minuets, especially if you make your breadcrumbs from scratch. Of course, I am a “slowsky”, no Rachel Ray here! Next time I will season the batter with more salt or maybe season the chicken its self, for us it needed to have a more savory contrast with the sweet sauce. I am also going to try using panko instead of breadcrumbs. This makes a great appetizer and I don’t know what I was thinking, when I decided to serve it as our dinner entrée. I steamed some carrots, pea pods, and water chestnuts, seasoned them with a wasabi teriyaki glaze, and steamed white rice. I am going to freeze the remaining Chicken Bites and DS can have them for after school snacks. My DH and DS do not like seafood and always wonder why I rave over coconut shrimp, well now they know. I am going to make these for an appetizer, at my next get together. I know my guest will love them as much as we did. I highly recommend this recipe. They are VERY GOOD and do not skip the Mango Cream! Recipe saved to “My 5 Star Cookbook”. Thank you homegirl, well done!