Coconut fried chicken with collards and gravy recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup brewed coffee
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 ½ to 3 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 allspice berry
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 tablespoons pickling juice
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped dill pickles
• 2 teaspoons bourbon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 6 slices bacon
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 1 pound collard greens, ribs removed, leaves thinly shredded (6 cups)
• 1 pound bok choy, very thinly sliced (6 cups)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 to 2 Scotch bonnet chiles, seeded (optional) and chopped
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ cup buttermil¹⁄³ cup brewed coffeek
• 1/3 cup brewed coffee
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons celery salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• ¼ cup berbere spice
• ¼ cup smoked hot paprika
• ½ tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground coffee
• 4 cups peanut oil
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 4 egg whites

Brine the Chicken
1. Combine 1 cup water with the coffee, lemon juice, and salt in a nonreactive container. Add the chicken, then cover and brine in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Drain and pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the brine.
Make the Pickling Juice
2. In a very small saucepan bring all the ingredients to a boil with ⅓ cup water. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool completely. (The pickling juice can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 month.)
Make the Gravy
3. In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, sauté the bacon over medium-high heat until the fat begins to render, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until golden brown and crispy, 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the pickling juice, the wine, stock, and maple syrup to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the cream, mustard, and tarragon and continue cooking until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the pickles, bourbon, and butter and simmer until the liquid becomes a thick sauce, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Make the Collards
4. In a large, high-sided skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels, then crumble into small pieces. In a small saucepan, bring the coconut milk and soy sauce to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and crumbled bacon. Using the same skillet used for the bacon, heat the olive oil and butter over low heat. Add the garlic and slowly toast until pale golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Be careful not to let it burn). Lift the garlic out of the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside; remove and discard all but 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add the collards and cook, stirring frequently, until the greens start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk mixture and cook until the greens are tender and the sauce has thickened, 13 to 15 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook, stirring, until wilted but still tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the reserved garlic; remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Saute the Chicken
5. Heat the peanut oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once again season the chicken with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add the chicken and brown on both sides, 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Into the same pan, add the garlic, chiles, and curry paste and sauté over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, buttermilk, coffee, lime juice, and 1 cup of water and return the chicken to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Make the Chicken Shake
6. In a small bowl whisk all ingredients until incorporated. (The Chicken Shake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months.)
Bread the Chicken
7. Fill a large (at least 12-inch) cast-iron skillet with 1½ inches oil and heat to 350° F. While the oil is heating, in a shallow bowl combine the panko, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of the Chicken Shake. In another shallow, wide bowl, whisk the egg whites together. Dip the chicken in the egg white, then roll in the panko-cornstarch mix, coating well.
Fry the Chicken
8. Working in 2 batches, carefully add the chicken pieces to the oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and season with additional salt to taste.
9. Serve the chicken with collards and gravy.