Garlic-Coconut Crispy Chicken
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 6 cloves peeled and smashed
6 thin-cut, boneless chicken thighs
2 cups coconut flakes
1 cup white rice flour
3 eggs
2 tablespoon garlic powder
½ cup cornstarch
Salt and pepper
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3 tablespoons oil, minced garlic, and chicken in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.
2. Spread rice flour in shallow dish. In another shallow dish, whisk egg whites until foamy. Combine coconut flakes, garlic powder, and cornstarch in third shallow dish.
3. Start mashed potatoes while the chicken is marinating.
4. Remove chicken from bag and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat chicken lightly with rice flour, dip in egg whites, and dredge in coconut mixture, pressing to adhere. Place chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let dry 5 minutes.
5. Heat ½ cup oil and 3 smashed garlic cloves in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until garlic is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Discard garlic and fry a pan full of chicken until crisp and deep golden, about 2 minutes per side. Be careful the coconut will burn easily. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven. Transfer to a baking pan. Set aside oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with remaining oil, garlic cloves, and chicken.
6. When all of the chicken is fried, bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is completely cooked.
Save the garlic oil for chicken gravy to go with the mashed potatoes. You can also throw the discarded garlic into the potato water for added flavor.
