Crispy Coconut Chicken

Crispy Coconut Chicken with chicken tenders breaded in coconut flakes and spices, then baked until golden brown and dipped in your favorite sauce. Your kids will love this healthy version of chicken strips!

Coconut Chicken Tenders

Absolutely delicious, crispy outside and moist inside baked coconut chicken tenders your kids will eat, I promise!

If you are sceptical of chicken and coconut combo, just think of coconut shrimp. It tastes so good together!

This is healthy chicken tenders recipe you will feel good about feeding your family. Baked instead of fried, full of healthy fats, good calories and so much flavour.

This recipe is such a favorite weeknight dinner that I highly recommend making a double or triple batch. Then serve with healthy ranch dip or just ketchup.

Ingredients for Coconut Chicken

• Chicken: You can either use boneless and skinless chicken breasts and cut into strips yourself or buy chicken tenderloins. Organic is a bonus, of course if your budget allows.
• Egg: Acts as a glue for the breading. Don’t skip.
• Coconut flakes: I use unsweetened coconut flakes. Short flakes tend to stick better than long ones.
• Flour: Any flour works. My preference is whole wheat flour but I have tried all-purpose and almond flour as well.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt and pepper.

How to Make Coconut Chicken

There is a full recipe card below. 

• Prep chicken: Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch wide strips. I like to use kitchen scissors to cut chicken. Saves washing a board and a knife.

• Make breading: Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl. On a separate plate, mix coconut flakes, flour and seasonings. Your dipping station is ready.
• Dip the chicken: First, dip both sides of each chicken tender into the egg wash. Next, coat the chicken tenders in the coconut flakes mixture. Repeat for all of the chicken tenders.
• Place on baking sheet: I like to bake my chicken tenders on a silicone lined baking sheet. You can also use parchment paper. Give the chicken tenders a spray with cooking spray prior to baking for those crispy sides.
• Bake: Bake at 425 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Keep an eye on it, you may want to flip the tenders half way through the baking time.

Tips and Serving

• Serving for maximum crispiness: Coconut chicken is the most crispy within first 30 minutes after baking. So, make sure to prep other parts of dinner, like a side and salad, before you begin baking. Then while chicken is baking, finish the other dishes.
• If you have long coconut flakes: Place flakes in a resealable plastic bag and “give them a beating” with a mallet. They will stick to meat better, thus resulting in more crunchy chicken.
• Difference in ovens and baking sheets: Ovens vary and bake differently, convection oven bakes faster. Also dark coloured sheet bakes faster than light. Keep an eye but make sure to bake until golden brown.
• Dipping sauces: You can serve chicken strips with honey mustard sauce, ranch, peanut sauce or just good old ketchup, if short on time.
• Sides and salad: We usually serve with simple quinoa, brown rice or whole wheat spaghetti on a side, and simple salad like cucumber and tomato salad or lettuce salad.

How to Store, Make Ahead and Freeze

Storing: Leftover chicken tenders can be placed in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Unfortunately, they do tend to lose their crispiness in a sealed container.

Make Ahead Freezer Meal: Prep chicken tenders as per recipe instructions. Place uncooked breaded tenders on a baking sheet. Freeze for a few hours and then transfer to a Ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat, you can bake right from frozen. Just add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time.  That’s it!

Check out my full list of healthy freezer meals. I’m obsessed!

More Healthy Chicken Recipes

• Almond crusted chicken
• Healthy fried chicken
• Healthy chicken Parmesan
• Lemon chicken

Crispy Coconut Chicken

Crispy Coconut Chicken with chicken tenders breaded in coconut flakes and spices, then baked until golden brown and dipped in your favorite sauce. Your kids will love this healthy version of chicken strips!

5 from 8 votes

Print Save Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: North American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 90kcal

Author: Olena Osipov

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts 3 large
• 1 egg large
• 2/3 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
• 1/4 cup any flour I used whole wheat
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Cooking spray

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
• Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch wide strips. Set aside.
• In a shallow bowl, add egg and whisk with a fork. On a large plate, add coconut flakes, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper; mix well with a fork.
• Dip both sides of each chicken tender into an egg wash, then coat in coconut flakes mixture and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining meat.
• Spray chicken fingers with cooking spray and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Depending on the oven, you might have to flip tenders half way. Just keep an eye on it.
• Coconut crusted chicken tenders are best served right away for maximum crispiness. Kids love these and they are healthy!!!
• Store: Refrigerate for up to 2 days although tenders loose their crispiness a bit.

Notes

• Freezer Meal: Freeze coated but uncooked fingers on a baking sheet for a few hours, then transfer to a Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for extra 5 or so minutes in addition to baking time listed in the recipe.
• Chicken: You can either use boneless and skinless chicken breasts and cut into strips yourself or buy chicken tenderloins. I like to use kitchen scissors to cut chicken. Saves washing a board and a knife.
• Egg: Acts as a glue for the breading. Don't skip.
• Flour: Any flour works. My preference is whole wheat flour but I have tried all-purpose and almond flour as well.
• Serving for maximum crispiness: Coconut chicken is the most crispy within first 30 minutes after baking. So, make sure to prep other parts of dinner, like a side and salad, before you begin baking. Then while chicken is baking, finish the other dishes.
• If you have long coconut flakes: Place flakes in a resealable plastic bag and "give them a beating" with a mallet. They will stick to meat better, thus resulting in more crunchy chicken.
• Difference in ovens and baking sheets: Ovens vary and bake differently, convection oven bakes faster. Also dark coloured sheet bakes faster than light. Keep an eye but make sure to bake until golden brown.
• Dipping sauces: You can serve chicken strips with honey mustard sauce, ranch, peanut sauce or just good old ketchup, if short on time.
• Sides and salad: We usually serve with simple quinoa, brown rice or whole wheat spaghetti on a side, and simple salad like cucumber and tomato salad or lettuce salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 3tenders | Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 197mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

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