Coconut Chicken Strips
Cassava flour, made from the cassava root, has a neutral flavor and makes a great stand-in for wheat flour in this gluten-free take on chicken strips. The coconut coating on the chicken can be delicate, so use a thin spatula –not tongs – to flip the chicken.
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Ingredients
Chicken strips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 3/4 cup cassava flour (TIP: Look for it in health food lor Latin American grocery stores; see page 70.)
- 1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder and paprika
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1-inch strips
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
Barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted tomato paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 2 tbsp organic unsulfured molasses
- 1 tsp coconut aminos or reduced-sodium tamari (TIP: To keep it grain-free, ensure tamari is made from a grain-free alcohol; if you don't need to keep it grain-free, Worcestershire sauce works too.)
- 1 tsp all-natural, gluten-free hickory liquid smoke
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and onion powder
- Pinch each ground chipotle chile powder and black pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; brush with oil.
2. Prepare chicken strips: In a shallow dish, stir together flour, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. In a second shallow dish, add eggs. In a third shallow dish, add coconut. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Working with 1 strip at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, turning to coat, then dip into egg, letting excess drip back into dish. Press both sides of chicken into coconut.
3. Arrange on prepared sheet. Bake, turning once, until golden and no longer pink inside, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare barbecue sauce: In a small saucepan, bring all sauce ingredients and 1/3 cup water to a simmer on medium-high; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with chicken. (TIP: The barbecue sauce recipe makes a bit more than you’ll need for the chicken. Store the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks and use to brush on chicken or pork in the last few minutes of cooking.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of chicken and 2 tbsp sauce
- Calories 355
- Carbohydrate Content 36 g
- Cholesterol Content 156 mg
- Fat Content 11 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 28 g
- Sodium Content 424 mg
- Sugar Content 11 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g