Coconut Chicken Lollipops with Tropical Ketchup and Anaheim Chile Sauce
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 9 hr 35 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Inactive: 8 hr
- Cook: 1 hr 5 min
Ingredients
Mojo Marinade:
1/2 cup fresh tangelo juice (or orange juice)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
6 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and ground black pepper
1 dozen chicken drumettes, bones frenched
Tropical Ketchup:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 white onion, sliced thinly
Salt
2 cups ketchup
1 sweet ripe mango, peeled and chopped
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Ground black pepper
Splash rice vinegar
Anaheim Chile Sauce:
10 Anaheim chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 white onions, chopped
2 habanero peppers, chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
Chicken:
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups thinly shaved dried, unsweetened coconut flakes
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
- For the marinade: Combine the tangelo juice, olive oil, lime juice, oregano, cumin, garlic, and some salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate the chicken in the fridge overnight.
- For the tropical ketchup: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and the olive oil. Add the garlic and onions and a good pinch of salt. Saute the onions until completely translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the ketchup, mango and citrus juices. Lower the flame and cook, stirring every once in a while, until reduced and thickened. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and vinegar (adding a little more lemon or orange juice if needed) and refrigerate until cold.
- For the chile sauce: Char the Anaheim peppers over an open flame or on the grill. Roughly chop the peppers and transfer to a blender.
- Heat a large skillet, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions and habanero peppers and saute, stirring, to caramelize the onions. Transfer the mixture to the blender with the charred Anaheim peppers. Puree everything until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the mayo a little at a time until it tastes just right. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade. Coat in the flour, then the beaten eggs, finishing in the coconut.
- Fill a deep skillet halfway with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high to 350 degrees F. Fry the chicken lollipops until golden on all sides and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and season with a little salt.
- Serve the chicken with the tropical ketchup and Anaheim chile sauce.