When I’m craving something crispy, tropical, and totally irresistible, these coconut chicken tenders are my ticket to paradise. I coat juicy chicken strips in a coconut–breadcrumb crust and fry (or bake… or air fry!) until golden and crunchy. Served with a creamy pina colada dipping sauce, these coconut crusted chicken tenders turn weeknight dinners into an island escape. And as a bonus, I can whip up these tropical chicken tenders in just 30 minutes–no plane ticket required.
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Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders with Pina Colada Dipping Sauce
My kids love regular old fried chicken tenders but when I’m making them for me, I add a tropical coconut twist so I can pretend I’m on island time for a few minutes. To make these coconut tenders, I combine sweetened shaved coconut with Panko breadcrumbs for an airy, crispy coating that clings perfectly to each piece of chicken. The subtle sweetness of the coconut balances beautifully with the savory chicken and a hint of seasoning. Frying gives me a restaurant-style crunch, but they’re also easy to bake or air fry for a lighter twist.
And don’t skip the sauce! My pina colada chicken tenders wouldn’t be complete without it. A simple blend of coconut milk, pineapple, and a touch of sweetness and salt creates a coconut pineapple dipping sauce that’s creamy, tropical, and irresistible.
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Toast the Coconut for Extra Crunch and Flavor
I usually fry these coconut tenders, but when I bake or air fry them, I like to take an extra step. Before coating my chicken tenders, I like to lightly toast the shredded coconut and Panko breadcrumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until they’re golden and fragrant. This step deepens the nutty sweetness of the coconut, adds an extra layer of crunch, and helps the coating stay crispier after frying or baking.
Coconut Chicken Tenders Recipe with Pina Colada Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the Coconut Chicken Tenders:
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders (*)
- 1 cup sweetened shaved coconut (**)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup coconut milk (heated for 30 seconds in the microwave)
For the Pina Colada Dipping Sauce:
- ½ cup sweetened condensed coconut milk
- ¼ cup canned pineapple (drained from the juice)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow bowl.½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs together then pour in the coconut milk and whisk again to combine.2 large eggs, ¼ cup coconut milk
- In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and shaved coconut together.1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 cup sweetened shaved coconut
- Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over low-high heat to 350℉.1 cup coconut oil
- Dredge a chicken tender in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then press the breadcrumb mixture onto the chicken.1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- Fry in the oil for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden in color.
- Repeat the process with the remaining chicken tenders but add no more than 3 tenders to the pan at one time.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and drain off the excess oil on a plate with a paper towel or on a cooling rack.
- While the chicken is frying, blend the sweetened condensed coconut milk, pineapple and salt together and pour it into a small bowl.½ cup sweetened condensed coconut milk, ¼ cup canned pineapple, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Once all of the chicken has been fried, serve immediately with freshly chopped cilantro and the dipping sauce.
Notes
- If baking or air frying, I recommend toasting the coconut and breadcrumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes before breading. This helps it get extra crisp!
- Let the coated tenders sit on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before frying. This “sets” the coating and dramatically reduces the chance of it falling off in the oil.
- Maintaining the oil at 350°F ensures the coating crisps while the chicken cooks through without absorbing excess oil.
- To know for sure that your chicken is fully cooked, use a meat thermometer. When the inside of the chicken reaches 165°F, it’s fully cooked, safe, and ready to eat!
- Let the coconut fried chicken fingers sit on a paper towel to drain the grease before serving.
- As far as garnishes go, I just like to do a light dusting of chopped cilantro for a fresh kick! However, squeezed lemon juice is also quite fresh and tasty on these summery strips.
- Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Brush the breaded tenders with oil and cook for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Baking: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spray or brush the breaded tenders with oil and bake for 18-22 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Coconut Chicken Tenders Step by Step
Season the Flour: Mix ½ cup of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of onion powder in a shallow bowl.
Whisk the Eggs: In a separate shallow bowl, whisk 2 large eggs together, then pour in ¼ cup of coconut milk and whisk again to combine.
Mix the Breadcrumbs: In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs and 1 cup of sweetened shaved coconut together.
Coat the Chicken: Heat 1 cup of coconut oil in a large frying pan over low-high heat to 350℉. Dredge 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken tenders in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then press the coconut breading mixture onto the chicken. I like to let the coated tenders sit for 10-15 minutes before frying to really set the breading. This makes it less likely to fall off during frying.
Fry the Chicken: Fry coconut chicken in the oil for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden in color. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken tenders–but add no more than 3 tenders to the pan at one time. Once cooked through to 165°F, remove the chicken from the pan and drain off the excess oil on a plate with a paper towel or on a cooling rack.
Make the Pina Colada Dipping Sauce: While the chicken is frying, blend ½ cup of sweetened condensed coconut milk, ¼ cup of drained canned pineapple, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt together and pour it into a small bowl.
Serve: Once all of the chicken fingers have been fried, serve immediately with freshly chopped cilantro and the coconut pineapple dipping sauce.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
These coconut chicken tenders are best eaten the day they are made but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or for up to 3 months in the freezer. To reheat, heat the oven to 350°F and bake the chicken for 6-7 minutes, or until crispy. Thaw frozen tenders overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
The pina colada dipping sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
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