Description
Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders, classic homemade chicken tenders with an island-inspired twist! Seasoned chicken strips are coated with a crispy coconut-panko crust, & quickly pan-fried before baking to juicy & tender, golden-brown perfection. A craveable, crispy, coconut crusted chicken recipe = major dinnertime win!
Ingredients
Scale
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- optional: 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (or all-purpose as desired)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- additional kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place a baking rack overtop & spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Prep the chicken: Use a sharp knife to butterfly the chicken lengthwise, creating 2 pieces from each chicken breast. Depending on the thickness of the butterflied chicken pieces, you may wish to pound them to uniform thickness (by covering the chicken with a piece of plastic wrap & pounding it with a meat mallet or rolling pin). Slice the butterflied chicken into 1-inch strips. Season the chicken strips with kosher salt, garlic powder, paprika, & cayenne pepper (as desired). Set aside.
- Prepare the dredging station: Grab 3 large plates or shallow bowls. Place the coconut flour on one, whisk the eggs on the second, and mix the panko and unsweetened shredded coconut on the third. Lightly season each plate with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
- Bread the chicken strips: Working one by one, give each chicken strip with a light dusting of coconut flour (shaking off any excess), followed by a light coating of egg (shaking off any excess). Place the chicken into the panko & coconut mixture, pressing to adhere & coat the chicken as completely as possible. Shake off any excess breading and set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.
- Brown the coconut chicken tenders: Melt 1-2 tablespoons of the coconut oil to a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is melted & hot, give the skillet a swirl to ensure its entire surface is coated in oil. Working 3-4 at a time, carefully add the chicken tenders to the skillet. Be careful to avoid overcrowding the pan as it prevents browning. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, just until the coconut coating is lightly browned – the chicken will not be completely cooked at this point, and that is fine! Transfer to the prepared baking rack. Use a paper towel to carefully wipe out remaining oil or any shredded coconut that may have fallen off the chicken, then repeat Step 5 with the remaining coconut oil & chicken tenders.
- Bake the chicken. Once all the chicken is browned, transfer the prepared baking sheet to the oven. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.
- Serve immediately. Coconut crusted chicken is great with sliced avocado, a simple salad, cilantro lime rice + a tropical salsa, or on its own! We love dipping our coconut chicken into cilantro lime cashew crema, which is a fridge staple at our house. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Store any leftover coconut chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat these coconut chicken tenders is to toast them in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the coconut chicken tenders on a baking sheet and bake for 3-4 minutes per side, until toasty & warmed through.
