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    Home » Chicken

    Lilly Pulitzer-Style Baked Chicken + A Visit to Lilly Headquarters!

    Published: Oct 26, 2015 · Modified: Jun 3, 2020 by thekitchenprep · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Lilly Pulitzer style baked chicken comes from a recipe book inspired by the host queen Lilly herslef

    Earlier this year, Steve and I took a trip to Philadelphia to attend a wedding. While scouring the map for areas to visit and sites to see, I made the startling discovery that we would be SO.CLOSE to King of Prussia -- the location of Lilly Pulitzer headquarters!

    Now, you know what a Lilly nut I am {though definitely not the kind that would sucker punch a fellow shopper for a Lilly-print hammock, I'm proud to say}, so I immediately began wondering if there could possibly be a way to take a peek behind the doors of The Pink Palace without having to scale a palm tree-pattered wall or hang from a scalloped awning... because I could see how that would be frowned down upon.

    I managed to get a tour of the Lilly Pulitzer headquarters
    I may or may not have gone to pose with the Lilly sign before my invitation was confirmed.

    Thankfully, I remembered that I had a contact on the inside -- the lovely Eleni with whom I had worked during my guest blogging stint a few years back. Though I'm normally painfully shy about these types of things {you wouldn't guess it, right?}, I mustered the gumption to send her a little message to let her know that I'd be in the area and hoped to hear back.

    As luck would have it, my citrus-colored stars aligned and she agreed to let me pop by for a visit to the mother ship headquarters. To say that squeals ensued is an understatement. {Poor Steve.}

    So, off we went to The Pink Palace to check out what happens in print paradise!

    The front entrance to the Lilly Pulitzer headquarters
    It really is pink!
    Though you'd think that Lilly's headquarters would be located on a tropical island {or, you know, Palm Beach}, it is actually situated in a quiet, unassuming little area of Pennsylvania as the company's owners since the 90's resided here.
    The inside of Lilly Pulitzer headquarters reflects her island destination style with bright colors and floral patterns

    But cross beyond those glass doors and you'll forget that you're not in sunny South Florida. Designed to give employees the "feel" of Lilly's signature island chic vibe, the details of the space successfully transport you to a place where you want to kick off your McKim sandals and relax with an umbrella drink. {Though I can assure you, there was actual work going on throughout the facility!}

    The inside of the Lilly Pulitzer headquarters has island vibes and tropical decor to keep visitors in a Florida state of mind

    A glass atrium complete with pink and green chairs, awnings, ceiling fans {that run even through the cold winter months to keep everyone in the Florida frame of mind} and palm trees serves as a space for large scale meetings and company shindigs. Little details like faux store windows, Lilly-upholstered furniture and even door signs boasting legit Palm Beach street names make you forget that the ocean isn't within walking distance!

    Eleni walked me {Well, us. I kind of forgot Steve was there.} through the offices, where I got to meet some of the amazing ladies who help keep the operation running smoothly. Meetings and spreadsheets and marketing plans... there's a lot that goes into keeping a huge company afloat. But in true Lilly fashion, there's always room for a little fun, seen here in the form of the ping pong table meeting room!

    A very pink Lilly Pulitzer meeting room
    Ping pong/meeting room.

    It was such a thrill to get a peek at inspiration boards, up and coming prints and collections that hadn't yet hit stores and feel like a true Lilly insider! I was so giddy that I didn't take too many pics, but I assure you that I captured it all in my mind and will forever remember every last darling detail.

    Tropical island mood boards are scattered around the Lilly Pulitzer offices

     

    The Lilly Pulitzer design room is like Pinterest in real life
    Like Pinterest... on a real wall. With champagne. I die.

    But alas... my tour had to come to an end. I took one last look around and took a little {mental} curtsy as I wished farewell to Lilly's colorful kingdom!

    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

     

    Lilly Pulitzer baked chicken is a recipe from a popular Palm Beaches cookbook

    A few months after my trip, my friends at the Junior League of the Palm Beaches asked if I'd be interested in sharing a special recipe found in the reprint of their 1976 original cookbook, Palm Beach Entertains. The recipe, known as "Lilly Pulitzer's Baked Chicken", was said to be served often by the maven of entertaining herself. Being all hopped up on Lilly everything, I jumped at the chance!

    The cookbook is filled with not only recipes to suit the tastes of the most discerning guests, but also a wealth of history about the island's culinary history, as well as stories and accounts that paint a picture of the dinner parties and soirees held by some of Palm Beach's most notable hostesses.

    The recipe for Lilly Pulitzer baked chicken comes from this Palm Beaches Entertains cookbooks from 1979

    I loved leafing through the pages and taking in the black and white photos of Palm Beach past. A photo of Lilly's well-appointed {for the 1970s!} but casual kitchen was the perfect visual for getting "prepped" {ha!} to recreate her famous chicken dish with a modern, Dianna twist.

    This baked chicken recipe is inspired by the Palm Beach queen herself, Lilly Pulitzer

    Despite her position in high society, Lilly was known for her casual, laid back approach to entertaining and this dish reflects her credo. In Lilly's version, simple, citrus marinated chicken {I mean... would you expect any other ingredient??} is dipped in butter and coated in potato chips... which, yum. To modernize the recipe, I kept the concept of her method, but updated the ingredients to something a little less guilt-ridden --  subbing out the butter for coconut oil and the potato chips for roasted plantain chips. Not only do these ingredients add extra tropical flair of the dish, but they also go well with the Cuban accompaniments that she'd often serve alongside the meal as a nod to her husband's heritage.

    my version of Lilly Pulitzer baked chicken is a healthier take on the original, coated with plantain chips instead of potato chips

    It was so much fun cooking up something that Lilly herself would have served to guests in her own home, and also to get to scope out the other recipes in The Junior League's classic cookbook. If you're Palm Beach history buff or have a love for recipe-collecting and entertaining, be sure to purchase a copy of Palm Beach Entertains! All the proceeds of cookbook sales go to charitable organizations; funds raised this year will go toward remodeling a home for children in foster care.

    A great big thank you to The Junior League of the Palm Beaches and, of course, to my friends at Lilly Pulitzer for giving my Lilly-loving self the chance of a lifetime!

    Lilly Pulitzer-Style Baked Chicken

    Lilly Pulitzer-Style Baked Chicken

    The Kitchen Prep
    Adapted from Palm Beach Entertains. With a few tweaks, I made this Entertaining Queen-inspired recipe with a few healthier ingredients, but it's just as delicious and Lilly Pulitzer party-worthy!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 3 hrs 20 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 3 hrs 50 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup fresh squeezed citrus juice {from lemons limes & sour oranges}
    • 3 tablespoons light rum
    • 4 garlic cloves minced or grated
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
    • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 3 tablespoons coconut oil melted
    • 3 cups crushed roasted plantain chips

    Instructions
     

    • In a gallon-sized zip-top bag, combine citrus juices, rum, garlic, salt and cilantro. Place chicken breasts in the bag and, pressing as much air out as possible, zip securely. Shake and squish the bag to coat chicken breasts in marinade. Place bag in a bowl or dish and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.
    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking dish that will accommodate all four pieces by spraying lightly with non-stick cooking spray or rubbing with some oil. Place the crushed plantain chips in a small pan or dish to prepare for dredging.
    • After the chicken is marinated, remove each piece from the bag and pat dry. Brush with melted coconut oil {or if you'd like, melt the coconut oil in a bowl and dunk in each chicken piece to coat.}
    • Dredge oil-coated chicken chicken in crushed plantain chips. Place in prepared baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until the outside is lightly browned and the chicken is completely cooked through.

    Notes

    Serve with rice, black beans and refreshing cocktails!
    « Graham Cracker Latte
    Jumbo Pecan Chip Cookies »

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    Hi! I'm Dianna. I used to think cooking had to be complicated to be good, so I never considered it "my thing." Now I know that's far from true, and my mission is to create & share easy, mouthwatering recipes - from weeknight dinners to simple bites for entertaining - that anyone can make! Join me in my South Florida kitchen and let's get cooking!

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