Sweet, salty and a little bit spicy! These Coconut Chicken Fingers are true perfection!
Sweet, salty, and a little bit spicy. These coconut chicken fingers are agreatdinner for any age! A kicked up childhood favorite, that’s baked not fried! It’s the perfect weeknight meal and can be paired with my favorite honey mustard dipping sauce.
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Hello delicious, chicken. It’s such a fabulous ingredient to work with. Chicken is the perfect blank canvas for a wide range of flavor profiles. Boil it up for chicken salad, throw it into some soup, grill it with tons of fresh veggies, or turn it into the best coconut chicken fingers you’ve ever had.
When I think of coconut, my mind doesn’t scream chicken. My first thought, actually, is my mom’s famous magic bars (we call them Ugly Duckling bars). Coconut is a dessert ingredient; it’s not meant for savory dishes.
Right? Wrong.
I thought coconut was only for sweet things, until I came upon this mouth watering coconut chicken finger recipe. Holy cow was I missing out. The coconut pairs perfectly with the mild chicken, panko crumbs, spicy cayenne, and savory garlic powder. And this recipe comes in the convenientand tasty chicken finger form.
Do I have your attention yet?!?!
Sometimes I sit and wonder ifanyone else loves chicken fingers as much as I do? They’re crunchy on the outside, tender and steamy hot on the inside, you can douse them in your favorite dipping sauce of choice, and, BONUS,you can eat them with your fingers, that’s a +1 for any food in my book. They also cook up faster than whole chicken breasts, which is always welcome in my household, since Trevor and I can both get a teeny tiny…ok fine, a lot,hangry on occasion.
You guys get hangry too, I know we’re not the only ones.
Thankfully this recipe is quick to bake and the prep time isn’t too shabby either.
Cut your chicken breasts into tenders, making sure that they’re all about the same thickness so they can cook evenly. Place flour in a shallow dish or bowl, make an egg wash in another, and combine coconut, panko, and spices in one more. Dip your tenders into flour, then egg wash, and then coconut mixture using one hand for dipping the dry ingredients, and the other for dipping into the egg wash. The tri-dipping process ensures really juicy chicken that’s nice and crisp on the outside.
That’s it, you’re done! Now just bake them up until the outside is golden and the inside is no longer pink, yet nice and juicy.
Now, stop being hangry and hurry up and make these coconut chicken fingers! You’re going to go cocoNUTS over them. Get it?
– Jennifer
What’s your favorite sauce pairing with chicken tenders? Show me the yummy!
Coconut Chicken Fingers
Sweet, salty and a little bit spicy! These Coconut Chicken Fingers are true perfection!
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and prep your baking sheet with a silpat mat.
Prep your chicken breast, by cutting into evenly sized tenders.
Get three shallow bowls or dishes and in one, place flour. In another, place cracked eggs and whisk until egg and yolk have combined. In the last, combine coconut, panko and spices, mix well.
Using one hand for dry ingredients, and one hand for the egg wash, dip each tender into the flour, then egg wash, and finally the coconut/panko mixture. Make sure during each step, each tender is well coated. You may need to press lightly to adhere the coconut/panko coating.
Arrange on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-30 minutes, or until the tenders are no longer pink the the middle. Serve immediately with my favorite honey mustard dipping sauce!
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STORING
Room Temp:N/A
Refrigerator:3-4 Days
Freezer:2-3 Months
Reheat:Bake to re-crisp and warm
*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions
Notes
I check my chicken after 10 minutes by cutting a small slit in the thickest part of my largest tender. If more cooking time is necessary, I rotate my pan to ensure even cooking.
Coconut Chicken may seem intimidating to make because of its complex flavor, but it is super easy. You need coconut milk, curry powder, tomato paste, garlic, onion, garam masala, and turmeric.
Chicken fingers are typically made from the inner fillet of the chicken breast. The fillet is cut into long, thin strips resembling the shape of a finger, hence the name. These strips are usually breaded and deep-fried until golden crispy.
Aversely, if the temperature is too low then more oil will soak into both breading and meat and the result will be soggy. An addition to that last point: overcrowding your frying vessel will drop the oil temperature too low, and you'll get the soggy mess as well.
A chicken finger is a strip that can be cut from any part of the chicken breast. On the other hand, a chicken strip can only be officially called a chicken tender (or tenderloin) when it comes from a muscle located beneath the breast that is called the pectoralis minor or inner filet.
Can You Replace Coconut Cream with Coconut Milk? The good news about coconut cream and coconut milk is that although they may be different consistencies, they're very similar. You can use coconut cream in place of milk if you dilute it with additional water. Different coconut cream brands vary on fat content.
Chicken fingers (also known as chicken goujons, tendies, chicken strips, chicken tenders, or chicken fillets) are chicken meat prepared from the pectoralis minor muscles of the animal. These strips of white meat are located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major).
Presuming about 15 grams per nugget, and that you use all the meat on the chicken (not just breast meat, which is how McD's currently makes them), and an average chicken weight of about 3 1/2 pounds, with about 25% waste (non-meat, meaning bones, skin, etc.), then you can safely calculate that a whole chicken can yield ...
You'll want to ensure that your poultry reaches the proper temperature while cooking. Your baked chicken tenders are done when their breadcrumb coating looks golden-brown and the chicken is no longer pink in the center (at least 165°F).
Most frozen breaded chicken products like chicken nuggets, strips, burgers, chicken fries and popcorn chicken contain raw chicken. They may look pre-cooked or browned but they are raw inside. Using breaded chicken can make meal time easier.
The best way to keep fried foods crispy? Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. If you're frying multiple batches, throw the whole setup into a low oven to keep everything warm as you keep frying and adding to the rack.
Consuming excess fried chicken fingers or tenders may lead to higher cholesterol and sodium levels, increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Additionally, homemade frying can be time-consuming and messy compared to enjoying raw chicken.
To reheat fried chicken in the oven, the best method is to turn the oven on high and bake it fast. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and place room-temperature leftovers on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. The wire rack helps hot air circulate to crisp up the underside of the chicken.
The breading and seasonings, along with any added sauces or dips, can make this dish relatively high in sodium. High sodium intake is linked to increased blood pressure and heart disease risk, so it's advisable to consume fried chicken tenders in moderation.
So why do we call them "chicken fingers"? No one knows for sure. Although they're meant to be eaten easily with your fingers, the name probably comes from the fact that they're shaped a bit like fingers — human fingers, that is! Chicken fingers are usually served with your choice of a dipping sauce.
Coconut meat is the white flesh of coconuts and is edible fresh or dried. Rich in fiber and MCTs, it may offer a number of benefits, including improved heart health, weight loss, and digestion. Yet, it's high in calories and saturated fat, so you should eat it in moderation.
The exocarp of the coconut is the external skin, while the mesocarp is the husk. However, the meaty part of the coconut that we actually eat is known as the endosperm - but the coconut has much more to offer than just its meat.
Coconut meat is the edible white flesh lining the inside of the coconut endocarp. It's also called the kernel or copra. Coconut meat can be used to create coconut oil, coconut cream, coconut milk, and dried coconut. Of course, you can eat it fresh, too.
Coconut water is a sweet, translucent fluid that you may drink straight from young green coconuts. It comes naturally within the fruit and is referred to as the liquid endosperm ( 2 ). Once young coconuts start to mature, coconut water starts to harden to form coconut meat — known as the solid endosperm ( 2 ).
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When I think of coconut, my mind doesn’t scream chicken. My first thought, actually, is my mom’s famous magic bars (we call them Ugly Duckling bars). Coconut is a dessert ingredient; it’s not meant for savory dishes.
Sometimes I sit and wonder ifanyone else loves chicken fingers as much as I do? They’re crunchy on the outside, tender and steamy hot on the inside, you can douse them in your favorite dipping sauce of choice, and, BONUS,you can eat them with your fingers, that’s a +1 for any food in my book. They also cook up faster than whole chicken breasts, which is always welcome in my household, since Trevor and I can both get a teeny tiny…ok fine, a lot,hangry on occasion.
Cut your chicken breasts into tenders, making sure that they’re all about the same thickness so they can cook evenly. Place flour in a shallow dish or bowl, make an egg wash in another, and combine coconut, panko, and spices in one more. Dip your tenders into flour, then egg wash, and then coconut mixture using one hand for dipping the dry ingredients, and the other for dipping into the egg wash. The tri-dipping process ensures really juicy chicken that’s nice and crisp on the outside.
Now, stop being hangry and hurry up and make these coconut chicken fingers! You’re going to go cocoNUTS over them. Get it?
