COCONUT CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS
Can we all just agree that chicken tenders taste better in Summer? ESPECIALLY Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders.
I mean come on look at those flakes of coconut!!
SO tasty!
Coconut flakes mixed with panko bread crumbs make the most perfect light and airy “batter” that is so crispy.
Either baked or fried the texture of these Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders is incredible. Forget a full heavy batter where there’s barely any chicken and think light, super crisp, and the best crunch.
That’s these chicken tenders.
For the first time making these we fried them in our little fryer so they were SUPERB and tasted like we were eating them at a restaurant. I mean really missing those places these days…
BUT the second time we baked these instead and let me tell you they were so much better than the fryer. They were even lighter and we just loved the crisp we achieved by baking them. And let’s be honest, we didn’t miss all that oil and we felt good about being a little healthier!
Either way these are the bomb dot com.
We love how easy these are too, you can start with chicken tenders or slice up chicken breasts.
And we paired a super tasty spicy sweet sauce with these chicken tenders, see below!
COCONUT CRUSTED CHICKEN TENDERS
Notes
AUTHOR: SPICY SOUTHERN KITCHEN
Ingredients
CHICKEN
- 6-8 BONELESS CHICKEN TENDERS (OR 2-3 CHICKEN BREASTS)
- 3/4 CUP WHITE FLOUR
- 2 LARGE EGGS
- 1/4 CUP NON FAT MILK
- 1 TABLESPOON SRIRACHA
- 1 CUP PANKO BREADCRUMBS
- 1 1/2 CUPS UNSWEETENED SHREDDED COCONUT
- S&P
- VEGETABLE OR PEANUT OIL
SPICY SWEET SAUCE
- 1/2 CUP LIGHT MAYO
- 3 TABLESPOONS SRIRACHA
- 3 TABLESPOONS HONEY
- 1/2 TABLESPOON RICE VINEGAR
Instructions
CHICKEN
- IF USING CHICKEN BREASTS, SLICE INTO LONG STRIPS/TENDERS (ABOUT 3-4 EACH DEPENDING ON SIZE)
- SPRINKLE BOTH SIDES OF CHICKEN WITH S&P
- PLACE EACH PIECE OF CHICKEN IN FLOUR ON BOTH SIDES UNTIL COATED
- IN A SHALLOW BOWL WHISK EGGS, MILK, AND SRIRACHA TOGETHER
- IN A SEPARATE SHALLOW BOWL COMBINE PANKO, COCONUT, S&P
- TAKE CHICKEN PIECES AND DIP IN WET MIXTURE THEN DRY MIXTURE AND PRESS TO COAT BREADCRUMB MIXTURE TO STICK TO CHICKEN
- IF BAKING- PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 F AND PLACE CHICKEN TENDERS ON A SPRAYED TIN FOIL BAKING SHEET, SPRAY TOPS OF CHICKEN AS WELL (I USED AVOCADO OIL SPRAY)
- BAKE FOR 15 MINUTES AND FLIP, THEN BAKE ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES MORE UNTIL CRISPY (WATCH CHICKEN DOES NOT BROWN OR BURN ON EDGES!)
- IF FRYING- IN A FRYER HEAT PEANUT OIL (OR ANY HIGH TEMPERATURE OIL) TO 375 F, PLACE CHICKEN SLOWLY AWAY FROM YOU INTO OIL WITH FRYER BASKET IN FRYER, FRY FOR 12 MINUTES UNTIL CRISPY & BROWNED
SAUCE
- WHISK ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER
- SET IN FRIDGE UNTIL SERVING
These crispy chicken tenders reminded me of another unique recipe that is also the best- Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders that’s just as good and light and crisp!
Much summer love,
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