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Coconut Chicken

Coconut-coated chicken breasts
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Total Time 39 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 486 kcal

Equipment

  • food thermometer
  • a large oven-safe skillet (optional) If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, use a regular skillet for cooking the chicken on the stovetop, then transfer it to a baking dish to finish cooking it.

Ingredients
  

  • (4) 6-ounce chicken breasts, skinned and boned
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon jerk seasoning
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (see Note below for gluten-free substitution)
  • ⅓ cup canola or peanut oil
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Place each piece of chicken between plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness with a meat mallet.
  • Set up 3 shallow dishes. In the first dish, whisk together the cornstarch and jerk seasoning. Beat the egg whites until foamy and place them in the second dish. In the third dish, add the coconut and panko and stir together.
  • Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture. Then dip each breast into the egg whites. Finish by dredging the chicken into the coconut mixture. Press the coconut to ensure that it sticks to the chicken.
  • Add the oil to a skillet and heat on medium heat until hot (350°F). Add the chicken and cook on each side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the coconut from burning.
  • Transfer the browned chicken to a baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Make it Gluten-Free

Flour

Substitute cornstarch or a gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this chicken gluten-free. I recommend a 1:1 substitution for wheat flour, such as Cup 4 Cup Gluten-Free Flour or Measure for Measure Gluten-Free flour.

Panko Breadcrumbs

Crush Chex Rice Cereal and substitute it for panko breadcrumbs.

Make Jerk Seasoning at Home

You can make homemade jerk seasoning for this recipe. Mix the following ingredients and store them in an airtight container to use as needed. You can also freeze the mixture, and it will keep for several months in the freezer. The jerk seasoning is expired if it loses its color and no longer has a pungent smell. If you use jerk seasoning frequently, consider doubling or tripling this recipe.
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Nutrition

Calories: 486kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 42gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 109mgSodium: 428mgPotassium: 810mgFiber: 4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 644IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Baked Coconut Chicken, Coconut Chicken, Coconut Jerk Chicken
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