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.
Coat each tenderloin in the buttermilk/egg mixture and then it gets a turn in the coconut mixture.
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.
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.
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.
Coconut Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- ½ cup crushed cornflake crumbs, (crush in zippered plastic bag)
- ¼ cup plain panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, like Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds chicken breast tenders
Orange Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup orange marmalade
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg with the milk. In a second shallow bowl, combine the coconut, cornflakes, panko bread crumbs, paprika, seasoned salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Dip each tenderloin into egg/milk mixture then transfer to the dish with the coconut mixture and toss to coat well on both sides, patting the mixture on to the surface of the chicken with your hands. Place the coated chicken tenders in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet (they should not be touching). Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes then remove the pan from the oven and using tongs, carefully flip the pieces over. Return to the oven and continue cooking for another 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If you want to toast the coating more, switch the oven to BROIL for a minute or two at the end of the baking time. Watch closely as the coconut can easily burn.
- Meanwhile, combine ingredients for orange dipping sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
- Remove chicken fingers from the oven and serve with the orange dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
I purchase chicken tenderloins the most because that is the easiest one to get everyone in the house to eat!! Thank you so much for the opportunity.
I think I buy thighs (with bones and skins) at roughly the same rate as whole chickens, and together those account for maybe 90% of all my chicken purchases.
It depends on the recipe, but for general chicken dishes, I buy thighs. They are cheaper, only one major bone, easier to work with.
Depends on what I am cooking – for chicken pot pie or a chicken based soup a whole chicken to enhance the stock; boneless breasts for chicken fingers for the grandkids as well as every day meals. Love chicken wings, though. OK, it must be obvious I can’t choose – chicken is so versatile.
I tweeted about this giveaway
https://twitter.com/elangomatt/status/516396016862777344
I love boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I go through and cut off the extra fat though to help make it a bit healthier. I don’t hate chicken breasts at all, but I definitely like thighs better.
I love chicken legs! We buy them everytime and go crazy with our flavors!
Tweet: https://twitter.com/collifornia/status/515925642442203136
Skinless & boneless.
I usually but thighs or drumsticks based on price but much prefer the breast!
The chicken part I purchase the most is the thighs, they always stay moist and they are versatile and flavorful.
i definitely prefer boneless skinless chicken breasts in recipes