Paleo Alert! Coconut Crusted Chicken
12:00 PM
Since I haven't yet commented on nutrition, I want to put out there that it is very important to me. Unlike quality and natural food, medications can't give you that refreshed feeling like you just stepped outside on a crisp autumn day. If you eat well (natural and fresh), you will really feel much better!
When I was diagnosed with lupus, along with my medications I've been required to take, I wanted to try to heal myself naturally through a proper diet instead of going on more intense medications like chemotherapy or biologic infusions. That's when I picked up The Healing Kitchen by Alaena Haber and Sarah Ballantyne (aka The Paleo Mom, really, follow her. Her material is amazing). This book contains more that 175 recipes geared towards those trying to live a healthy lifestyle, but don't have all the time in the world to be cooking! They are all Autoimmune Protocol compliant and 100% Paleo!! I'll detail the Paleo diet in a later post.
This is my all time favorite recipe so far. So easy, pretty much a staple when I don't feel like being too creative, and I come away not feeling bogged down and having my GI system act up as if I ate a meal full of pasta. This one is coconut-crusted chicken tenders with pineapple dipping sauce.
I usually use basic chicken tenderloins that are antibiotic free (because additives can stir up inflammation), and it makes enough for me to have for both dinner and the next day's lunch. You can pair it with anything really, but I look towards something grain-free to comply with AIP/Paleo. My favorite in particular is garlic broccoli.
Here's the run-down:
1. Set aside a can of pineapple in it's own natural juice. Separate the pineapple chunks into a NutriBullet or blender, and pour the juice in a large bowl to the side.
2. To make the marinade: Combine the pineapple juice from the can, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, and sea salt in the large bowl and mix together. Submerge the chicken tenderloins in this mixture and place in the refrigerator to marinade for 1-1.5 hours. I usually do this as soon as I get home from work so I can relax after.
3: To make the pineapple dipping sauce: To your existing NutriBullet/blender full of pineapple chunks, add 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and 1 tablespoon of honey. Usually I add more honey just because it's delicious and an all natural way to satisfy that sugar craving. Blend until smooth and set this aside in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
4. When the chicken is done marinating, remove from the refrigerator. Grab a large dish and place about 1 cup of UNSWEETENED shredded coconut. This is your alternative to bread crumbs which has no nutritional value. Coat the marinated chicken in the shredded coconut, and move to a large skillet on the stove that is coated with melted coconut oil (~1/4 cup). Cook over medium-high heat, turning the tenderloins every 2-3 minutes. This will be cooked for about 15 minutes or until all the way through.
5. Serve with your favorite paleo-compliant side dish and your pineapple dipping sauce and you're all set!
This is a great dish because it provides the antioxidants of the pineapple, lime juice and coconut, while leaving options open for a veggie side. This is all while providing a ton of protein! Coconut oil in addition to the shredded coconut is used because it is high in HEALTHY fats that lowers the risk for heart disease by producing good cholesterol (HDL), and boosts immunity and gut health. Plus, you can keep all of these cooked ingredients for up to four days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. AKA batch cooking and making your life easier!
Hope you enjoy! :)
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2 comments
Yummy 😋 Looks delish, going to have to try it! Thanks Brittany!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy it! ☺
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