Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce

Coconut Chicken with Apricot Sauce (Serves 4)
Inspired by a recipe found here.

This recipe was suggested by my friend Cortney, who is another devoted food blog finder and recipe tryer. I can’t say she’s ever steered me wrong, so I thought I’d give it a try. She said she hides the leftovers in her fridge so she can have them for herself, so that certainly says something. And, as I thought, I was definitely not disappointed by this recipe! It’s got everything you could ever want in a chicken dish: saltiness, sweetness, crunch, melted butter, and lots and lots of flavor. The apricot sauce was different than anything I’ve tried before. It’s so simple and delicious. I would use it as a dipping sauce for basically any kind of finger food–from french fries to raw veggies.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup flour (may substitute for any healthier flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (I used Smart Balance with olive oil)
• 1/4 cup sugar-free apricot preserves
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg and set aside. In a shallow bowl, combine the coconut, four, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Working with one chicken breast at a time, dip into the egg and coat in the coconut mixture. Place on the baking sheet. Once all chicken has been coated and is on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping once halfway.

To make the apricot sauce, combine the apricot preserves and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

::Ashley