Coconut Chicken is a Caribbean-style chicken dish that is sure to please everyone you serve it too. The coconut gives this coconut chicken a nice crunchy texture. It has great flavor and the breading is nice and crispy. So good – give it a try!
More great Poultry Recipes and learn how to Brine Poultry for a moister and tastier dish.
- 12 chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds) or any favorite chicken parts (allow 2 to 3 pieces per person, depending on size)*
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice from a can
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin
- 2 teaspoons ginger, freshly grated
- Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup bread crumbs, fresh
- 1 cup coconut, flaked and unsweetened
- 1/4 cup flour (for dusting)
-
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 an internal temperature registers 165 degrees F (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife).
-
Remove from oven. Serve either warm or cold.
-
Makes 4 servings.
* 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 F. 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.
I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer. Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.
You can learn more or buy yours at: Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.