These quick and easy Coconut Chicken Tenders are healthy and delicious! Featuring 100% whole wheat breadcrumbs and coconut flakes, these oven-baked dippers are a favorite of all ages.
Happy New Year — again! I know I’ve already said that to you and I know I’ve posted a couple times since the new year started, but this post is my official first recipe of 2014.Woohoo!
To start off the new year, I’m happy to share that I have joined up with 12 talented bloggers to bring you a monthly event on the 12th of each month, where we’ll be sharing a themed recipe with 12 ingredients or less. Our theme for January is Quick & Easy Healthy Meals — a theme I’m sure many of you will appreciate as we get this fresh start in the new year. Be sure to check out the end of this post to get all the links to their blogs and recipes.
My contribution to the 12 Bloggers event is Coconut Chicken Tenders. We make chicken tenders quite a bit in our house, but this recipe is by far our healthiest and more delicious. They feature unsweetened coconut, whole wheat bread crumbs, coconut milk…all good stuff that came together perfectly for a dinner everyone in our house enjoyed.
My Coconut Chicken Tenders are coated in three quick steps: first they are dredged in some 100% whole wheat pastry flour, then they take a dip in coconut milk (I used light) and then finally they are finally coated in a mixture of each parts whole wheat bread crumbs and unsweetened coconut flakes.
To keep these nice and healthy, the tenders are baked in the oven. To help with browning, I sprayed the pan and the tops of the chicken tenders with a bit of coconut oil.
When they are done, you’ll have fragrant and delicious chicken tenders! I made a Mango Dipping Sauce to go along for dipping, which was SO amazing with these. The kids liked it too, but they still have their favorites for dipping — one likes ketchup, another one likes barbecue sauce, and yet another likes honey mustard. To each his own…go for what you like best.
Coconut Chicken Tenders Recipe
Description
These quick and easy Coconut Chicken Tenders are healthy and delicious! Featuring 100% whole wheat breadcrumbs and coconut flakes, these oven-baked dippers are a favorite of all ages.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless (skinless chicken breast)
- 1 cup 100% whole wheat bread crumbs
- 1 cup coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- 1/2 cup 100% whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- Coconut spray or another non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Spray a large baking sheet with coconut spray and preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Cut chicken breasts into strips of chicken, weighing about 1 1/2 – 2 ounces each. The amount of tenders/strips you will get out of each half breast depending on its size (a 4 oz chicken breast will give you two 2-ounce chicken tenders)
- In a shallow bowl or baking dish, combine bread crumbs and coconut. Place pastry flour in another bowl or baking dish and mix in salt and pepper. Place coconut milk in another shallow bowl or dish.
- Dredge a chicken tender/strip in the flour first, shaking off excess and then dip in coconut milk. Allow excess coconut milk to drip off. Immediately place tender/strip into bread crumb/coconut mixture and coast, pressing mixture onto chicken, as necessary. Place tender/strip on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Spray tops of chicken with coconut spray. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and coating is browned.
Notes
–If you can’t find whole wheat bread crumbs, make your own with 100% whole wheat bread. Toast a few slices, tear into pieces and place in food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. If needed, you can toast crumbs further by laying them in a layer on a baking sheet and baking at 350 degrees F just until dry and toasted (keep a close watch, they with brown quickly).
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
For more Quick and Easy Healthy Meals, check out these awesome recipes by these bloggers:
Chicken Posole Casserole By Betsy at Betsy Life
Coconut Chicken Tenders by Brandie at Home Cooking Memories
Healthy Crock Pot Sesame Chicken By Claire at A Little Claireification
Rustic Meat Pie By Jennifer at The Rebel Chick
Easy Sweet Potato Sliders by Angela at Handmade in the Heartland
Easy Black Bean Chili by Kimberly at A Night Owl Blog
Quick, Easy, and Healthy White Chicken Enchilada Soup by Melissa at Bless this Mess
One Pan Salmon & Vegetables by Sara at Mom Endeavors
Tuna Nicoise Frittata by Stephie at Eat Your Heart Out
Bacon, Egg and Spinach Casserole by Vanessa at See Vanessa Craft
Clean Eating: Quick & Healthy Baked Ziti by Wendy at Around My Family Table
Spaghetti Squash with Pesto by Kalyn’s Kitchen
Miz Helen says
Pinned your recipe it looks so good! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday.
Miz Helen
Erlene says
Sounds like a great alternative to regular breadcrumbs to use coconut oil and flakes. Will have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
This sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party!
Mother of 3 says
I just love coconut shrimp but have never thought of trying that batter/coating on chicken.. how yummy! Pinned.
Jess says
YUM! These sound amazing!
Karen, the next best thing to mummy says
This sounds delicious and different to what I usually cook, so I will give it a try #merrymonday
Cristina at Ava's Alphabet says
Yum! What a great alternative to coconut shrimp. I can’t wait to try these. Pinned and sharing. Thank you for joining us at Family Joy Blog Link-Up Party. I hope you will join our next party starting Sunday at noon EST.
Miz Helen says
We will love your Coconut Chicken Tenders and I am pinning them! Thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Rachel Teodoro says
Just wanted you to know that I featured this as part of a weeknight meal ideas round up from ideas from the create link inspire party. Thanks for joining in on the party with us! Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Melissa Ruddy says
Since my husband has been cooking more often and is experimenting with recipes I am going to save this one for him to make for me since I love coconut.
shelley says
I bet the coconut makes this delicious! I’ll have to try it soon. Thanks for sharing at Over the Moon. We look forward to seeing you again next week.
Emily says
Yum!! I’ve never thought to add coconut flakes to breading before! Thanks for linking up with our Merry Monday party this week!
Ally says
I love coconut and make coconut shrimp, ever tried with chicken tenders before will now! Found you at Whats for Dinner Sunday!
Gentle Joy Homemaker says
What a great idea! I have never heard of this combination, but it sounds like a good one! 🙂
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
Gah. Healthed-up chicken fingers? Wish I’d thought of this myself. Genius. Thanks for linking up to #SaucySAturdays.
Frugal Hausfrau says
I think I might have to make these! I have a ton of unsweetened coconut in the freezer, just waiting for an idea!\
Thanks for sharing with us on Throwback Thursday!!
Mollie
Karly says
My kids would love these! Thanks for linking up to What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Lolli @ Better in Bulk says
These look so good I bet I could even get my non-coconut-lovers to like them! 🙂
Vanessa @ See Vanessa Craft says
Yum! I think my entire family would love this recipe!
Diane {Created by Diane} says
you had me at COCONUT, I am in love with these
brandie says
Thanks Diane! My husband is CRAZY about coconut and he thought these were the best thing ever. Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Lauren @ Healthy Delicious says
I LOVE coconut! These look incredible – definitely making them soon.
brandie says
Thanks Lauren! Coconut is one of the most popular ingredients in our house….I’ve already had them asking for me to make them again! Thanks for commenting!
Melissa @ Bless this Mess says
Oh wow… I want these for dinner and then on top of a salad the next day for lunch. I can’t wait to add this to my meal plan! My kids thank you too 😉
brandie says
Oh yes, that sounds wonderful! My family totally gobbled them all up, but I think making some extras next time for a salad is a perfect idea.
Jennifer @TheRebelChick says
Who doesn’t love chicken tenders?! These look delicious!
brandie says
Thanks Jennifer!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Love the idea of the change up on the usual tender! I have a bag of coconut flakes, can’t wait to try this!
Betsy says
I’m so thankful for this group and this month’s theme right now! I’m slammed at work and need something SIMPLE for dinner. I love this because my Hubs travels a lot and this can easily be made for one. Will be trying it soon!
Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out says
I love coconut! These chicken tenders sound great. Boyfriend is not a fan of coconut, so I will just wait and make them one night when he is gone. 😉 More for me.
Jess says
Pretty much anything with coconut has me drooling. Going to bookmark this one!
ATasteOfMadness says
Oh yum! I am always looking for new chicken recipes, this sounds fantastic!!
Wendy | Around My Family Table says
These sound totally delicious. I love the addition of the coconut & coconut milk.
Julie says
I’m looking forward to this series. Glad to have found you from Stephie’s site. I oven bake all my “fried” foods, so having a new way/recipe is awesome!
Sara @ Mom Endeavors says
Yum! These sounds delicious!!!!