Coconut Chicken

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Coconut Chicken Ingredients and Substitutions

Marinade

• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, divided – We used Thai Kitchen Organic unsweetened coconut milk, but any brand will work. Make sure it is coconut milk and not coconut cream.
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic – see How to Mince Garlic, use 1-2 garlic cloves to make 1 teaspoon minced.
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice – We often use bottled lime juice, but freshly squeezed lime juice works too. If you use fresh limes, you can add a bit of lime zest to the marinade as well.

Chicken

• 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips – While we prefer chicken breasts, an equal amount of chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs can also work.
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs – Panko helps give a crispy finish, but regular bread crumbs can also be used.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise – For a richer sauce, use full-fat mayo or plain Greek yogurt for a tangier sauce.

How to Make Coconut Chicken

1. MARINATE. Add half the coconut milk (reserve the rest for later), minced garlic, soy sauce, and lime juice to a Ziploc bag or Tupperware. Shake to combine.
   • Add the chicken strips to the marinade and shake to evenly coat. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours. 
2. PREP. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly grease with olive oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
   • Add the coconut to a blender or food processor and pulse until the coconut is more of a crumb.
   • Add the ground coconut, Panko, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Add the flour to a second bowl and the egg to a third bowl.
   • One at a time, take a chicken strip from the marinade, shake off the excess, and dip them into the flour mixture. Follow with the egg mixture and then the coconut mixture. Place the strip onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat the process until all the chicken pieces have been coated.
3. BAKE. Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until golden brown and internal temperature is 165°F.
4. SAUCE. While the chicken is baking, add the remaining coconut milk and mayonnaise to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and serve warm over the chicken or as a dip for the chicken.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

• Be sure to purchase coconut milk and not coconut cream. We like the Thai Kitchen brand, but any brand of coconut milk will work.
• We recommend marinating for at least 3 hours, but longer will make the chicken even more tender and flavorful. (Do not exceed 12 hours.)
• Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. If it’s too crowded, the chicken will steam instead of bake and crisp. Use two baking sheets if making a large amount.

Pay Fry Directions

1. Follow the marinade and breading steps as written.
2. Add ¼ to ½ inch of high-smoke-point oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and an internal temperature of 165°F.
3. Drain excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate.

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Coconut Chicken Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

Crispy coconut chicken is paired with a coconut dipping sauce for a finger-licking tropical twist on classic chicken strips!

Servings: 4

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 28 minutes mins

Referigerate: 3 hours hrs

Total: 3 hours hrs 58 minutes mins

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Marinade

• ▢ 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk, divided
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice

Chicken

• ▢ 1½ pounds skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips
• ▢ 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• ▢ 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 egg, beaten
• ▢ ½ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

Instructions 

• Make marinade by adding half the coconut milk (reserve the rest for later), minced garlic, soy sauce, and lime juice to a Ziploc bag or Tupperware. Shake to combine.
• Add the chicken strips to the marinade and shake to coat. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly grease with olive oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
• Add the coconut to a blender or food processor and pulse until the coconut is more of a crumb.
• Add the ground coconut, Panko, salt, and pepper to a bowl. Add the flour to a second bowl and the egg to a third bowl.
• One at a time, take a chicken strip from the marinade, shake off the excess, and dip them into the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and then into the coconut mixture. Place the strip onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat the process until all the chicken pieces have been coated.
• Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until golden brown and internal temperature is 165°F.
• While the chicken is baking, add the remaining coconut milk and mayonnaise to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and serve warm over the chicken or as a dip for the chicken.

Notes

Recipe tips.

• Be sure to purchase coconut milk and not coconut cream. We like the Thai Kitchen brand, but any brand of coconut milk will work.
• We recommend marinating for at least 3 hours, but longer will make the chicken even more tender and flavorful. (Do not exceed 12 hours.)
• Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. If it’s too crowded, the chicken will steam instead of bake and crisp. Use two baking sheets if making a large amount.

Prep ahead of time. You can coat the chicken a couple of hours ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge. Don’t store for longer than a couple of hours; otherwise, the coating may become soggy.

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze for 3-4 months.

Reheat. Preheat the oven to 375°F and heat for about 10-15 minutes, or heat frozen chicken for 20-35 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 154mg, Sodium: 1156mg, Potassium: 796mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 133IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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