One of my kiddo’s favorite foods is chicken tenders. I feel like that’s a pretty universal truth for all kids. Chicken tenders and pizza, right? But, momma can only eat so many chicken tenders. Lord, sometimes I am just chicken tendered out. So I decided to change it up a little one night and made my family these Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders. Holy smokes they are good!
For the last two weekends, I had made my fried buttermilk chicken tenders (recipe to come). And as much as I love those chicken tenders, I was ready to try something different. I decided to roll the dice with these coconut tenders because neither my husband nor my kids are huge fans of coconut. I, on the other hand, would be perfectly content stranded on an island with only coconuts for food. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration of my love for coconut, but know that it runs deep and true. 😉
Despite the fact that I had a house full of non coconut lovers, these chicken tenders were an absolute smash. That’s because the coconut gives these tenders a slight sweetness that is just so incredibly good. The coconut also crisps up so well when you fry these things. Seriously, you gotta make these!
Let me show you how I made these Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders 👇🏻
Begin by setting up a breading station. Grab three large, shallow bowls. To the first bowl, whisk together 1 cup AP flour, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. (Increase the cayenne pepper to 1/2 tsp if you’d like a little more of a kick)
In the second bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, and 1 tbsp of sriracha (or hot sauce).
In the third bowl, stir together 1 cup of shredded, sweetened coconut and 1/2 cup of plain Panko breadcrumbs.
Bread the chicken tenders by first dredging into the flour mixture and then dipping into the egg-milk mixture. Finally, firmly press the tenders into the coconut-Panko mixture, making sure that the chicken is well coated. Continue until all of the chicken is breaded.
To fry the chicken tenders, add enough vegetable oil to a large Dutch over (or cast iron pan) so that there is about 1.5 inches of oil. Heat the oil until it is hot and shiny and reaches about 350 degrees.
Fry the tenders in batches- about 3 or 4 at a time. This ensures that the chicken is not overcrowded and that the temperature of the oil does not drop too much.
Fry the chicken 2 minutes on each side, flipping the chicken until it is crispy and a deep golden color (and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees).
Remove the cooked chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
Before starting the next batch, wait a minute to allow the heat of the oil to rise back up and then add more tenders. Continue cooking tenders using the steps above until all of the tenders are cooked.
Serve warm with (optional) sweet chili sauce.
Enjoy!!
Note: You can also bake these chicken tenders as well!! Personally, I prefer the fried version, but if you’re looking to save some calories, you can totally bake them in the oven. Simply spray one side of the tenders with olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees. Cook for 15 minutes, flip, and cook for another 5-10 minutes until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. They will not be as crispy as the tenders pictured above, but they are still totally delicious
These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe. These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.
Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs Chicken Tenders
- 1 Cup Shredded Sweetened Coconut
- 1/2 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 Cup AP Flour
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (Optional: Increase amount to 1/2 tsp for a little more spice)
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- 1 Tbsp Sriracha (or hot sauce)
- Vegetable Oil for Frying
- Optional: Sweet Chili Sauce for Dipping
Instructions
- Begin by creating a breading station. Grab 3 large, shallow bowls. To the first bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. To the second bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and sriracha. To the third bowl, stir together the sweetened coconut and pink breadcrumbs.
- Bread the chicken tenders by first dredging into the flour mixture, then dipping into the egg-milk mixture, and then finally into the coconut-breadcrumb bowl. Press the coconut-breadcrumb mixture firmly into the chicken tenders and place on a plate.
- In a large Dutch oven or cast iron pan, add enough vegetable oil so that there is about 1.5 inches of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil is shiny and reaches about 350 degrees.
- Cook the chicken tenders in batches, about 3 or 4 at a time so that the oil maintains it’s temperature as much as possible and that the chicken is not overcrowded. Cook the tenders about 2 minutes on each side, flipping until the chicken is golden and crispy (and reaches an Internal temp of 165 degrees).
- Remove the cooked chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Wait a minute to allow the oil to heat back up before adding your next batch. Continue cooking the tenders as stated above until all are fried and crispy.
- Serve the tenders hot. Serve with sweet chili sauce, if desired. Enjoy!!
Welcome to Cupcakes and Sarcasm! My name is Maggie and I am the creator of C & S. I am a wife and mom of two beautiful kiddos. I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and now live in Northeast Ohio with my family. I have been cooking and baking since I was a kid. I decided in 2017 that I wanted to share my passion (and recipes) with all of you! On this site, you’ll find easy and delicious recipes- both savory and sweet. I’ll also sprinkle in some stories of parenting and our adventures along the way.