Coconut Chicken Wings

I guess I'm going through a "nuts for coconut phase" but this recipe is yummy and is decidedly better for you than traditional fried chicken wings so please give them a try! I used equal parts flour and coconut flour so that they'd have all the flavor of fried wings but lower in carb count and higher in fiber.

Fried Coconut Chicken Wings ©Dawn Gagnon Photography 2016

This recipe starts off being fried for color, but because coconut flour and shredded coconut has a tendency to burn easily, its better to brown these first in a skillet and then finish them off in the oven.

This recipe is for one dozen chicken wings and easily adjustable to whatever amount you cook.

Ingredients':
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups coconut flour
Shredded coconut (unsweetened)
12 chicken wings
2 tbs seasoned salt
1 tbs poultry seasoning
1-2 tbs rosemary
1/2 tbs ground sage
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
white ground pepper-optional and to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Instructions:
I like to mix all of my seasonings together if at all possible and dust all of my chicken pieces first with the mixture before adding to the flour. To me it assures me that each piece got the right amount of seasoning, and you're not leaving it to chance once mixed and diluted in the flour.
Place your wings in a big bowl and dust all of them in seasonings. Stir them and try to coat all sides.

In a second large bowl, sift together your flours and begin adding in your seasoned chicken wings. I like to throw in about four at a time and just let them hang out in the bowl for a minute or two so that they absorb the flour. I pressed them into the flour with my hands as well. Remove pieces and add them to a large skillet and cook on medium heat in about 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of your oil. I added some coconut oil to my canola oil for flavor.

While the first batch is cooking in fry pan, fry them only to brown both sides, while that is happening go ahead and have the other chicken sitting in the flour mixture and let them hang out while the first batch is frying.

As the batch is frying, get out your cookie sheet or baking pan and coat in cooking spray or line with tin foil. Sprinkle the pan with a thin layer of shredded coconut so that your chicken with be coated on the bottom. Set your pan near your chicken that is frying so you can easily transport them from frying pan to baking sheet.

Once you've browned all of your wings on both sides, and placed them on your baking sheet spray the tops of the wings with cooking spray and add shredded coconut to the top of the wings. You'll get a lot of over-spill but its great, believe me it will taste good and you'll be putting it over your side dish for garnish :D

Bake in 400 degree oven until juices in thickest part of the wing run clear. I just usually take one aside, and pull the flesh from the bone and take a look. If there's no red, or blood and it comes away easily...its done. Hey one chicken wing usually has to take one for the team and that one usually ends up being mine any way.
Bon Apetit~~~

Coconut Crusted Chicken and Roasted Pepper Medley

©2016 Photograph by Dawn Gagnon

This recipe is healthy and tasty and a better alternative to frying chicken or using shake and bake. When you're on low carb diets, you tend to miss out on a lot of crispy and crunchy things that carb snacks offer, so trying to find things to make up for that is a key goal of mine. No diet will work long term if it is one you can't stick to. This I can't stress enough. This recipe is simple and so easy. There's some carb count with the sweet peppers but overall this is pretty darn healthy and can be  incorporated into any diet.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 Degrees
You will need some cooking spray
Make sure to use well thawed Chicken Breasts
Use a large enough casserole disk or platter for dredging your chicken
All seasonings are suggestions, use your own preferences

In a large casserole or baking dish, add around 4 cups of unsweetened, all natural coconut flakes. Do not use sweetened kinds used for desserts as they have sugar which is a no no for low carb dieting.
For each chicken breast- and bear in mind you can use thighs as well. Whatever you have on hand will do season before coating in the coconut mixture. If you wait until after the coconut is covered on the chicken the flavors don't make as good a contact with the meat and you may not be able to detect any flavors.

I like to use soul seasoning for spicy chicken, but all purpose seasoning and poultry seasoning works very well too. I also like to mix into my shredded coconut some dried Rosemary. Once you have seasoned your chicken pieces on both sides, simply place into your shredded coconut mixture and and press firmly, turn over and do on the other side of the chicken.

Place chicken on a pan that has been sprayed well with cooking spray. I like the Olive oil varieties.
Once all chicken is assembled on the pan, coat the tops of the chicken with additional cooking spray. This will give the crust a nice golden color. If your chicken browns a little too fast, you can simply loose lay a piece of tin foil over them for the remainder of the baking time.



Bake in the over until a pierced chicken's juices run clear. Usually around a half hour or so.
To keep things simple, make the side dish something that can also be baked like the roasted veggies in the photograph. Enjoy~

Related articles

• Whats for Supper? Baked Tilapia, Brown rice with Quinoa and mixed veggies
• Cheesy Pumpkin Soup


• Honey Coconut Cookies-Low Carb