Coconut Crusted Chicken

I can't remember how I came across this recipe or when I started making it, but it's definitely a treat in our house. It's a tad time consuming, so I usually do it on a night when I don't have a lot going on. It's not too bad if you use chicken tenders instead of split chicken breasts. Tonight my BF was working and I'd already had some success making my waffle fries so I figured I'd take advantage of the forward kitchen momentum.

These are really good with the jalapeno dipping sauce. I can't handle too much spice, so I generally just dot the sauce on my chicken and call it good. But my BF loves the spicy, so I always make the jalapeno sauce when I'm cooking these so he can dip and dunk to his heart's content. In my picture, you can see how I just dribbled the sauce on top. That's all I need.

I used to make this recipe with granulated garlic, so feel free to add it if you like it. Unfortunately it's off limits for me now. Sad face. With the unsweetened coconut there's not a ton of flavor in the chicken itself. If you don't like spicy jalapeno sauce, I would recommend serving it along side some type of sauce. Maybe some crushed pineapple with some ginger and sea salt, something like that.

I forgot to get a pic last night (d'oh!), so this is a picture of my leftovers. It's not an awesome representation of the dish, but you get the idea. By the way, my son says I need a better camera to take pictures of my food instead of my camera phone. Maybe someone will buy me one for Christmas!  

Ingredients:
1 package chicken tenders (using tenders instead of breasts significantly cuts down on prep time, but you can use split breasts and slice it up if you like)
1/2 cup liquid egg whites
2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Put egg whites in a medium mixing bowl and toss the chicken tenders in. Use some tongs to mix together until all the chicken is evenly coated.

Mix coconut, coriander and salt (and garlic, if using) in a shallow dish. Take one tender at a time and dredge it in the coconut mixture, coating all the sides. Put it on the baking sheet and continue until all tenders are coated. Sprinkle a little more coriander on top. Slip it into the hot oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Serve with jalapeno sauce (recipe below).

2 jalapenos, stems removed (retain seeds for extra heat)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp arrowroot powder
Cold water

Put all ingredients except arrowroot and cold water in a blender. Process on low speed about a minute until jalapenos are chopped up but a few little chunks remain. Pour entire batch in a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Combine arrowroot and just a little cold water, stirring until no lumps remain. Add to sauce and sure just until thickened. Serve hot.