Coconut Chicken Fingers with Orange Dipping Sauce

Name: Coconut Chicken Fingers with Orange Dipping Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 26 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 egg; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 cup sweetened (flaked coconut); 1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (all purpose seasoning mix); 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper; 1 18.4 ounce package Tyson Premium Chicken Breast Tenderloins; 1/2 cup orange marmalade; 1/4 cup honey; 2 tablespoons; Dijon mustard; 4 drops hot pepper sauce (or to taste)

30 H GD

August 27, 2014 127 Comments

These tender, baked, coconut chicken fingers are a slightly more sophisticated and healthier version of the classic fried variety. Inspired by the coconut shrimp you see on many restaurant menus, this kid-friendly cuisine is entirely suitable for the adult palate. Everyone will love them!

If you’ve ever ordered coconut shrimp at a restaurant and loved it, this recipe is for you. Replacing the shrimp with chicken and using an “oven-fry” technique makes this is a super practical, wholesome dinner choice for the entire family. Tender chicken with a crispy, coco-nutty coating served with a tangy, sweet orange dipping sauce and it’s all pulled together in 30 minutes or less. Fantastic! With back-to-school time upon us, these easy, wholesome meal ideas are precisely what are in order.

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First, let’s talk about how incredibly convenient it is to be able to purchase trimmed and ready chicken breast tenderloins. For me, saving even a little bit of time on dinner prep is a pure luxury. These Tyson® Premium Chicken Breast Tenderloins come out of the package ready to rock and roll which means this meal is on the table in under 30 minutes. In addition to the convenience, I love that Tyson Fresh Chicken is all natural*, with no added hormones or steroids**, and arrives fresh at the store within days of leaving the farm.

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The prep consists of combining some flaked coconut, panko bread crumbs, all-purpose flour, a little seasoned salt, and some fresh ground pepper in a shallow dish. In a separate dish lightly beat an egg with some buttermilk. I prefer to use buttermilk because of its naturally thick, velvety texture, but you can sub regular milk if you’d like.

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Coat each tenderloin in the buttermilk/egg mixture and then it gets a turn in the coconut mixture.

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Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty foil. Generously coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray and transfer the coconut coated chicken to the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops with a little additional non-stick cooking spray.

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Pop them into a preheated 425 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully turn the chicken over. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked through.

Coconut Chicken Fingers with Orange Dipping Sauce

The orange dipping sauce consists of orange marmalade, honey, Dijon mustard, and a few drops of red pepper sauce. Tangy, sweet, with a kick! You can easily amp up the heat by adding as much red pepper sauce as you want – or eliminate it all together if the kiddos are sensitive to heat.

This post was sponsored by BlogHer and Tyson but as always, all opinions expressed are 100% my own. For more delicious recipes visit PickTysonFresh.com.