Sunday, January 13, 2013

Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce #SundaySupper

Hello 2013!  Yes, I've been M.I.A. since late December.  I have a good reason though....   Over the last two weeks, I've made a lot of changes in my diet.  Although my food blogging journey was about reducing my trips through a drive-thru, I never claimed that it was low-cal or low-fat.  Like many of my readers, the start of a New Year was a time for resolutions.  My resolution?  Clean up my diet while still keeping things delicious and homemade-- and hopefully lose some pounds along the way.  In the last two weeks, I'm already down 8 pounds. Yippee! 

So, this is why I've been absent.  While I was getting my body used to less food and a different "style" of food, I tried to keep things pretty simple.  Certainly nothing I cooked during this time was really worthy of being on the blog.  I promise that will change.  Now that I've moved into "life must go on even while Melanie is on a diet" mode, I commit to being back here on a regular basis.  What will you see?  You'll likely see a few more recipes that are a bit more healthy as well as more flavorful from spices and marinades.  Don't worry--- I still have a family that has zero interest in healthy eating, so I'm sure I'll be baking and making some not-so-low-cal meals and posting those, too.

Anyway, back to today's post.  It was great timing to have my first post of 2013 be for the "first birthday" of the Sunday Supper movement!  I can't even begin to tell you how much Sunday Supper has changed my life!  I'm continually inspired by the wonderful women and men that make up the group.  Their talents, both in and out of the kitchen, are a force to be reckoned with....

We are celebrating this week’s birthday event by choosing recipes from contributors that have inspired us in the past year.  It was tough to choose, but I wanted to honor Sarah Lee from Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends for all the help that she's given me over the past few months.  She's an amazing cook and a fabulous photographer. 

One of her recipes, Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce, was really well received and got a ton of re-pins on Pinterest.  I really wanted to try it, but with my new eating plan, I knew that I couldn't fry it like she did... so, I decided to lighten it up a bit.  My version is below, but if you're not counting calories and don't mind the oil, definitely try the original version.  I also used Sriracha in my sweet chili sauce instead of Sambal.  I have an unhealthy addiction to Sriracha. I can't help it.



Ingredients
  • chicken breast, cut into thin strips
  • 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup panko crumbs
  • 1/3 shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp sriracha

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and generously spray with non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, mix the panko crumbs and coconut.  Take the chicken strips and dredge them in the beaten egg whites and then immediately dredge them in the panko/coconut mixture, coating well.  Place strips on the lined baking sheet.  Spray each strip with a spray of non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning the chicken strips midway during baking while respraying the other side with more non-stick vegetable oil cooking spray.

While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce in a small saucepan by combining the orange juice, ketchup, honey and sriracha.  Bring to a low boil, reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and serve with the crispy coconut chicken.



Make sure you stop by the other Sunday Supper Contributors to see what inspires them!  I can't wait to see everyone's twists on each others meals!

Sunday Supper Appetizers:
Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:
Sunday Supper Main Dishes:
Sunday Supper Veggies:
SundaySupper Desserts and Snacks:
Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:
Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

We are excited to announce a New Addition: Tablescape by An Appealing Plan, Anniversay Dinner featuring Cheesecake with Fresh Berries orginally posted by The Messy Baker Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 6:00 pm CT and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Also, check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.


                                     
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