Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce (Print)
Crispy coconut-coated chicken with sweet-tangy apricot sauce, garnished with cilantro and lime. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
03 - 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
04 - 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
08 - 2 tbsp coconut oil
→ Apricot Sauce
09 - 1 cup apricot preserves
10 - 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
11 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
12 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1 clove garlic, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
→ Garnish
15 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
16 - Lime wedges
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Set up three breading stations: place flour in a shallow dish, beat eggs in a second dish, and combine shredded coconut with breadcrumbs in a third dish.
03 - Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge each breast in flour, dip in beaten egg, then press firmly into the coconut-breadcrumb mixture until evenly coated.
04 - Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Bake chicken for 15–18 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.
06 - While chicken bakes, combine apricot preserves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened, about 4–5 minutes.
07 - Serve chicken hot, drizzled with apricot sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The coconut crust stays impossibly crunchy even after baking, which means leftovers are almost as good as the fresh version.
- That apricot sauce comes together in five minutes and tastes like something you would pay restaurant prices for.
02 -
- Do not skip the stovetop sear before baking, that step is what locks in the crunch and without it the coconut coating turns soft and sad in the oven.
- If your coconut starts browning too fast in the skillet, turn the heat down immediately because coconut goes from golden to burnt in seconds.
03 -
- Pound the chicken to even thickness before breading so the thin end does not dry out while the thick end finishes cooking.
- Use one hand for the dry flour station and the other for the egg to avoid the dreaded clubhand situation where your fingers become breaded themselves.