Coconut-Crusted Chicken with Cashew-Curry Sauce

I was very impressed with this recipe. Aubrey couldn't believe that it was "light," and there's nothing about it that tastes "light." The nutty-coconut taste took my tastebuds back to my short time in Thailand several years ago.... such good times! I'll definitely be making this again in the future.

Ingredients:

Chicken
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons canola oil

Sauce
3/4 cup light coconut milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped dry-roasted cashews
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce (I substituted low sodium soy sauce)
4 lime wedges (optional)
4 cilantro sprigs (optional)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.
To prepare chicken, sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch and red pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Combine panko and flaked coconut in a shallow dish. Place egg white in another shallow dish. Add chicken to bag; seal and shake well to coat evenly. Remove from bag; discard remaining cornstarch mixture. Dip 1 chicken breast half in egg white; dredge in panko mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining 3 chicken breast halves, egg white, and panko mixture.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large oven-proof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place skillet in oven. Bake at 400-degrees for 8 minutes or until done.
To prepare sauce, combine coconut, milk, sugar, curry paste, and 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, ginger, and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add coconut milk mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or just until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cashews, juice, and fish sauce. Garnish each serving with 1 lime wedge and 1 cilantro sprig.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 3 Tablespoons sauce)

Nutritional Info: 376 calories; 15.4g fat; 43.8g protein; 15.4g carbs; 1.1g fiber; 99mg cholesterol; 2.4mg iron; 772mg sodium; 34mg calcium

Source: Cooking Light Magazine; May 2009