Coconut Chicken Fingers

Here is another great recipe from Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex's book, No Whine With Dinner.  These chicken fingers are so much better than anything you'd pick up at a fast food restaurant.  They're moist with a crispy, coconut coating, and fresh.  What beats relatively guiltless comfort food?

For kids or for a game-watching crowd, these would be great on their own or with a dipping sauce -- try this one.  For a nice grown-up dinner, they're great served over greens with orange segments and pineapple cubes with a little apricot-soy vinaigrette.

Coconut Chicken Fingers
serves 4
from No Whine With Dinner, by Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex, shared with permission


Ingredients:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably panko
1/2 tsp kosher slat
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 large egg, beaten
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tsp canola oil, divided

Directions:
1. Place the chicken on a cutting board and slice each chicken breast into 1/2 inch thick by 4-inch long strips (to yield about 7 strips per breast).
2. Place the coconut, bread crumbs, salt, ginger, and garlic powder in a medium bowl and stir to combine.  Use a fork or your fingers to break up any clumps of coconut.
3. Place the egg in another bowl and the flour on a plate.  To bread the chicken, coat both sides with the flour and shake off the excess.  Dip in the egg and then coat evenly with the coconut mixture.
4. Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Reduce the heat if the coconut browns too quickly.  Flip the chicken strips, add the remaining oil, and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the bottoms are golden brown, about 4 minutes.