When I think about coconuts, I think about how awesome I would look in one of those hula girl coconut bras. But, then I come down from that Hawaiian Punch cloud, and realize that I HATE coconut in all its forms. I can’t even eat German chocolate cake or piña coladas. It’s a real tragedy. The 5k is next week.
Then as I was in the middle of lying to Kyle and telling him that I was allergic to coconut, he open-hand slapped me and told me to try this fried concoction. With my coconut prejudice in full force, I was weary to try the dish. But, my face hurt and the mango curry sauce sounded interesting enough to not risk another bitch slap. Now, I want to cover everything in coconut and fry it.
serves 6-8
- 8 chicken breast cutlets*
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- vegetable or peanut oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons butter
*Chicken breasts can be substituted but will need to be pounded very thin beforehand.
mango curry sauce
- 1 cup fresh mango, peeled and chopped
- 3/4 cup white onion, chopped
- 1½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
for the chicken:
In a large bowl, combine corn starch, salt, and both peppers. Next, place egg whites in a shallow small dish. Finally, on a large plate, mix coconut with panko.
Begin assembly by first dredging cutlets one at a time in cornstarch mixture on both sides, then coating them in egg whites, and ending by pressing them into coconut mixture covering both sides of chicken. Transfer finished breasts to a plate.
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in large skillet over medium heat. In two separate batches, fry chicken for about 4-5 minutes per side (or until golden brown and white throughout when cut into).
Serve on top of coconut lime rice and top with mango curry sauce.
for the mango curry sauce:
Combine all ingredients (except for corn starch, lime juice and butter) in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring every few minutes for about 20 minutes, or until onions are really tender.
Next, you can use an immersion blender and puree the mixture until smooth, or wait until it cools some and transfer it to a blender or food processor. Next, lower heat to low and return sauce to stove and add butter and lime juice.
Stir cornstarch into a separate bowl with 2 tablespoons of water until dissolved and add to sauce. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, stirring every so often.