Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders

Want all the chicken tenders recipes? You’re in luck! Try my: Baked Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders, my Baked Firecracker Chicken Tenders, or my Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers.

Why this Recipe Works

Not only delicious, but so easy to make too! Chicken tenders — Did you know you can actually just go ahead and purchase chicken tenderloins at the grocery, already cut up and ready to dredge and fry? That’s right! And if you want to cut them yourself, you can just slice some boneless, skinless chicken breasts into strips. Pantry ingredients — From panko to coconut flakes, just about all of the ingredients for these chicken tenders can be found and/or stored easily in your pantry or fridge, which means you can make these over and over again without having to go to the store all the time. Leftovers — These coconut chicken tenders refrigerate really well and make excellent leftovers, whether eaten cold right out of the fridge or warmed up. Budget-friendly — Chicken tenders are easy on the budget, especially if you purchase the tenderloins already cut up and packaged, I always see such great deals on those!

Here’s How you Make it

What’s the Difference Between Chicken Tenders and Chicken Breast?

Chicken breasts are cut from the meat that’s attached to the chicken’s ribs. It is often found boneless in the meat section of your grocery store, but also comes bone-in. The tender (or tenderloin) is the little strip of meat on the chicken breast that can be easily removed and eaten as well.

Are Chicken Tenders Healthy?

In and of themselves, chicken tenders are lean and high in protein, and low in calories and fat. However, frying them isn’t always the healthiest way to prepare a chicken tenderloin. If frying is a no-go for the way you eat, then you can just as easily bake these chicken tenders. See more on that in the “Tips” section below!

Expert Tips

I recommend dipping these chicken tenders into sweet chili sauce. You can find this in the Asian or international section of your grocery store. If you are not a fan of the heat, try substituting sweet and sour sauce. Or, try a homemade peanut satay sauce if you like! If you prefer baking over frying, put the fully dipped and crusted tenders on a prepared or parchment-lined baking sheet into a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes. It’s important to let the fried chicken tenders drip a bit of that excess oil off after frying. I do this by putting them on top of a wire rack that’s positioned over paper towels for catching the grease. Put all of this into a baking sheet if you don’t want the greasy paper towels right on top of your counter.