When we were in New Hampshire for New Year’s Eve, Nate’s mom made some chicken tenders with coconut mixed into the breadcrumbs that were scrumptious.
I’ve made the same thing a couple times since and I think I finally have these chicken tenders perfected, with just the right amount of salty and sweet and a bit of heat surrounding perfectly tender chicken. And, of course, coconut. I love anything savory with coconut involved. So good.
There are a few steps to the recipe, but I promise it’s an easy recipe nonetheless. Also, I highly recommend pounding the chicken. You can skip the pounding, but it’s way better when you do it.
Enjoy!
Coconut Chicken Tenders
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
With a little bit of sweet and a little bit of heat, these oh-so-tender chicken tenders are coconut perfection!
Author: Jane Maynard
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- ¼ cup flour
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (divided into ½ teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup sweetened coconut
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (with ¼ teaspoon it's just a HINT of heat, ½ teaspoon has more heat but isn't crazy spicy)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Pound chicken tenders thin.
- Mix together flour and ¼ teaspoon salt and pour onto a plate.
- Beat the egg in a small bowl and whisk in the soy sauce.
- Mix together the panko bread crumbs, coconut, ½ teaspoon of the salt, cayenne pepper, and sugar together in a medium bowl.
- Heat butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Depending on the size of your pan and whether or not you are doubling the recipe, if you need to cook the chicken in batches, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan for each batch of chicken you cook.
- Dip each chicken tender in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken tenders in the heated pan and cook chicken tenders on both sides until golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
- Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to allow some of the oil to drip off.
- Serve hot. Sweet chili sauce is the perfect dipping sauce for this chicken! We used honey mustard dipping sauce as well and that was good, too!
Hi! My name is Jane Maynard and you've landed yourself on my blog, This Week for Dinner™. Every Sunday I share a weekly menu...and count on you to share yours! You'll also find other deliciousness that I hope you'll enjoy!
I recently bought some Bell & Evans coconut chicken tenders (which I loved!) but they’re pretty pricey. I’m so glad you posted this to save me some $$ and still get my fix.
I’ll have to keep an eye out for those – sounds right up my alley!
These look delicious. Wish I could just grab it from the screen and take a bite out of one! I love coconut shrimp but have never thought to try it for chicken tenders. Can’t wait to try this!
nothing will ever beat those coconut shrimp we had at the restaurant in redwood city…miss those!!!
yum. definitely on my menu this week!
hope you like them – let me know how they turn out! 🙂
These look so crisp and delicious!
I love a good coconut chicken tender – these look great, Jane!
i have to try this with the girls!!! this looks sooo yummy