Community recipe
Crispy Coconut Chicken with Lime-Pineapple Slaw
Golden coconut-panko chicken cutlets meet fluffy rice and a cool, tangy pineapple slaw. A familiar crispy-chicken dinner gets a sunny crunch, with simple stovetop cooking and plenty of fresh lime.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- medium
Get ready
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup jasmine rice
- 2.25 cup waters
- 1 lime, juiced
- 0.25 cup cilantro, washed, dried, and roughly chopped
- 3 cup green cabbages, finely shredded
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 cup pineapple, cut into small pieces
- 0.25 cup mayonnaise
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, large
- 1.25 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 0.75 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 0.33 cup neutral oil
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Cook the rice
Set out a medium saucepan with a lid, a fine-mesh strainer, a cutting board, three shallow bowls, and a large skillet; keep the skillet off the heat for now. Rinse 1.5 cups jasmine rice in the strainer under cool running water until the runoff is mostly clear. Add it to the saucepan with 2.25 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 12 minutes, until the water is absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes; fluff with a fork before serving. | Why: Rinsing removes excess surface starch for distinct, fluffy grains.
- 02
Mix the bright slaw
While the rice cooks, wash and dry 1 small lime and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro. Finely shred 3 cups green cabbage, peel and grate 1 medium carrot, and cut 1 cup pineapple into small pieces. In a serving bowl, whisk the juice of the lime with 1/4 cup mayonnaise until smooth. Fold in the cabbage, carrot, pineapple, and cilantro; chill or set aside for at least 10 minutes, tossing once, until lightly softened but still crunchy. | Why: A brief rest lets the lime dressing season the slaw without taking away its crunch.
- 03
Bread the chicken
Pat 1.5 lb chicken breast dry with paper towels and slice horizontally into four even cutlets, about 1/2 inch thick; wash your hands and sanitize the board and knife after handling raw poultry. Arrange three shallow bowls. Put 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in the first. Beat 2 large eggs in the second. In the third, combine 1.25 cups panko breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 tsp fine salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Coat each cutlet in flour, dip in egg, then press firmly into the coconut mixture on both sides. Set the coated pieces on a clean plate. | Why: Even cutlets cook quickly, while a firm press helps the crisp coating adhere.
- 04
Pan-fry until golden and cooked through
Heat 1/3 cup neutral oil in the large skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C); if you do not have a thermometer, a pinch of panko should sizzle steadily without browning immediately. Carefully add the cutlets in a single layer, working in batches so the pan is not crowded. Fry about 3–4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed, until deeply golden and crisp. Transfer to a clean wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate. Check the thickest part of each cutlet with an instant-read thermometer; it must reach 165°F (74°C). Let the chicken rest for 3 minutes. | Why: A steady oil temperature crisps the coating while the thermometer confirms safe doneness.
- 05
Serve
Fluff the rested rice and divide it among four plates. Add a crisp chicken cutlet and a generous scoop of pineapple slaw to each plate. Serve right away while the coating is crunchy and the slaw is cool. | Why: Serving the hot, crisp chicken alongside the chilled slaw gives each bite a pleasing contrast.
