Coconut Chicken W/ Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut milk, optional
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
• 1 cup sweet chili sauce

Directions

1. Trim away any excess fat from the chicken breasts. Slice each breast on a diagonal into 6 strips so the pieces at the ends do not turn out too stubby. Set up 3 bowls for coating the chicken. In the first bowl, mix the flour with the salt. In the second, whisk the eggs and coconut milk until smooth. In the third, combine the panko bread crumbs with the shredded coconut.
2. Pour 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil into a large, sturdy skillet and warm it over medium/high heat until it is nearly smoking. To check the temperature, flick in a small pinch of flour; when the oil is ready, it will fizz and bubble right away.
3. As the oil heats, bread the chicken. Start by covering each strip with the flour and salt mixture, then dip it into the egg and coconut milk mixture, and finish by pressing it into the panko and coconut. It is easiest to flour all the strips first, then work through the egg mixture and crumb coating one piece at a time.
4. Once the chicken is coated, the oil should be ready. Add about 6 strips to the skillet, keeping them in a single layer with about an inch of space between pieces. Do not crowd the pan, or the oil temperature will drop and the chicken will absorb oil instead of frying cleanly. Cook the strips for 2-3 minutes per side, until the coating is crisp and golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then continue with the remaining chicken. After a couple of batches, add the second 1/4 cup of oil if the pan needs it, and let the oil heat back up before adding more chicken, about 2-3 minutes. Since the strips are thin, they should be cooked through once both sides are browned; the chicken should feel firm when pressed. If your strips are thicker, finish them in the oven after frying so the centers cook completely.
5. Once all the strips have been fried, serve them right away with sweet chili sauce for dipping. Garnish with a little chopped cilantro.