Coconut Chicken
12 chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds) or any favorite chicken parts
(allow 2 to 3 pieces per person, depending on size)* * The U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as food agencies in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, advises against washing poultry. Rinsing chicken will not remove or kill much bacteria, and the splashing of water around the sink can spread the bacteria found in raw chicken. Cooking poultry to 165 degrees Fahrenheit effectively destroys the most common culprits behind food-borne illness. ** Use any day-old (or older) French, Italian, or regular white bread. Remove the crusts, cut into pieces and process into fine crumbs in a food processor or blender. Check out my article on Making Homemade Bread Crumbs. Skin and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place chicken in a shallow glass container and set aside. In a small bowl, combine pineapple juice, olive oil. grated ginger, and pepper; pour over chicken. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours (turning pieces occasionally to marinate evenly). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a large cookie sheet or a 15x10x2-inch shallow baking pan with vegetable spray. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat egg with the milk; set aside. Combine the bread crumbs with the coconut on a sheet of wax paper; set aside. Place flour in plastic bag and add 1 to 2 pieces of chicken at a time; shake to coat. Dip in egg mixture, and roll in bread crumb/coconut mixture. Arrange breaded chicken pieces in a single layer and bake, uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife). Remove from oven. Serve warm or cold. Makes 4 servings.
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