Greetings.  When shopping for flaked coconut, I was intrigued when I spotted hazelnut meal sitting next to the coconut on the store shelf. Rather than using it to bake a sweet item, I thought I would try it to coat chicken. It turned out to be simple and delicious, the hazelnuts lending a subtle depth of flavor.

 

Hazelnut-Crusted Chicken

2 tablespoons cooking oil

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1½ -1¾ pounds)

¼ cup arrowroot flour

1 egg    2 cups hazelnut meal

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F 

and place ovenproof* 9” x 13” pan in oven to preheat.

Trim all visible fat from chicken.

Place arrowroot flour in a pie plate.

Beat egg in a medium bowl.

Place hazelnut meal in a pie plate.

Dust each chicken thigh lightly with arrowroot flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat with hazelnut meal. Set aside chicken thighs on a platter.

Put oil in pan to heat. Leave oven on preheat setting.

After about 2 minutes, when oil is very hot, place chicken thighs in pan.

Shut oven door, reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Bake chicken for 15 minutes. Turn thighs over, and bake for 15 additional minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

* Use an earthenware, non-stick baking pan, or any non-stick, heavy pan into which the thighs will fit without being crammed together tightly.