Coconut crusted chicken dippers recipe

These crunchy chicken dippers have a nutty coconut and breadcrumb coating and are served with a fiery flavoured Thai dip. They are great for serving as part of a finger buffet or as a TV dinner with oven chips or potato wedges – no cutlery required! Deep frying in hot oil gives a lovely crisp and golden crust but for a less calorific version they can be baked in the oven. Place on a baking sheet and use an olive oil spray to lightly oil the coated chicken. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5 for 25-30 mins until golden and cooked through.

Ingredients

• 3tbsp seasoned flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 150g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 50g desiccated coconut
• 400g mini chicken fillets, halved
• Sunflower oil, for frying
• Spinach leaves, to serve
• 2tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 200g tub Greek yoghurt
• Dash of lime juice

Method

1. Place the seasoned flour in a shallow plate, the beaten egg on a second plate and mix the breadcrumbs and coconut on a third plate.
2. Dust each piece of chicken in seasoned flour and dip in the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture.
3. Half fill a large deep frying pan with the oil and heat until a cube of bread dropped in the hot fat browns in 30 seconds.  Fry the chicken, in batches, in the hot oil for 4-5 mins until crisp and golden brown and cooked through. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
4. For the dip, mix together the curry paste, yoghurt and lime juice until smooth. Spoon the dip into a small dish. Serve the hot chicken on a bed of spinach leaves with the dip.