I know you’re going to want to make these crispy Coconut Chicken strips on a regular basis after you try them! When you try one of these crispy Chicken strips dipped in sweet chili sauce, you’re gonna want to make them all the time.
This chicken is cooked quickly in hot oil after it has been cut very thinly and is then sliced nice and thin, which keeps the chicken juicy and tender on the inside as well as forming an exterior that is beautifully golden brown and crispy. With that, I would be in heaven if I dipped this in a bowl of cool, sweet, and tangy Thai sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Apronese believe that if you love chicken tenders, chicken strips, boneless wings, or anything along those lines, then you are going to love these Coconut Chicken Strips. They’re sure to be a big hit.
How to Choose the Right Chicken
The recipe has been tested with both boneless, skinless chicken breasts, as well as chicken tenders. While the chicken tenders were one option, I found they were too large when used whole.
This means that you will probably still need to cut them into thinner pieces before breading and cooking them.
As an alternative, you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, which you will be able to slice into chunks, so you will get something similar to coconut chicken “bites” rather than strips. I think that would be an excellent idea. The dark meat of the chicken thighs will be extra tender and juicy.
Options for Cooking
Frying – Because I do not have a deep fryer or that I do not deep fry much to warrant using as much oil as is necessary for deep-frying, I chose to shallow fry my coconut chicken strips in a skillet. Even though you use shallow frying, you will still get a super crispy outside without letting the inside dry out.
Baking – Despite the fact that you can bake these, your results may not be as amazing as frying, as baking takes longer and the hot air causes more evaporation, resulting in drier chicken. In addition, you will not be able to brown them as well as you would if you fried them. In order to help with browning, you can try adding a tablespoon or two of oil to your panko and coconut breading mixture, in a similar way to how I baked my Homemade Chicken Nuggets. As you bake the chicken nuggets, I suggest using the same baking temperature and the same baking technique as you bake the chicken nuggets, but I suggest you increase the baking time by a few minutes.
Air Frying – In spite of not owning an air fryer myself, I believe that these chicken strips would make a good candidate for air frying if you know the correct cooking times and temperatures for air frying. Due to the fact that this appliance uses hot air, as opposed to an oven, I would recommend spraying the strips with spray oil or mixing a tablespoon or two in the panko and coconut mixture with a little oil to help brown them.
Coconut Chicken Strips: What to Serve with Them
It’s essential that you don’t miss the sweet chili sauce in this recipe. You can find it in the international aisle of any major grocery store, or you can try making your own with my recipe for Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce. As a side dish, you can pair this with something like Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing, Cucumber Mango Salad, or Savory Coconut Rice.
How Do I Choose the Right Oil for Frying?
As a rule of thumb, it is very important that you use the right kind of cooking oil when you fry. It is important to keep in mind that every type of cooking oil has a different “smoke point,” which is the temperature at which the oil begins to burn. It is obvious that we want to avoid burning oil because burnt oil does not taste good (and it is an actual fire hazard).
As a result, if you wish to fry at high temperatures, you will need to choose an oil that is not too strong in taste. It is a good idea to select oils such as canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, refined coconut oil, corn oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, refined olive oil, or refined avocado oil when choosing oils.
Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce
There is nothing better than dipping these tender and crispy homemade Coconut Chicken Strips in a tangy and sweet chili sauce to offset the rich flavor of the coconuts.
Servings: 4 (4 strips each)
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts ($7.70)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.01)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 2 large eggs ($0.42)
- 1/4 cup coconut milk ($0.25)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs ($0.22)
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut ($0.56)
- 1/2 cup cooking oil, divided* ($0.32)
- 1 cup sweet chili sauce ($1.43)
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, slice the chicken breasts into 1/2 inch wide strips, making sure to slice diagonally in order to maintain an even length between the strips.
- As soon as the flour and salt are sprinkled over the sliced chicken, toss it until it is evenly coated with salt and flour.
- You will need to whisk the eggs together with the coconut milk in a large shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, you will need to mix together the breadcrumbs and the coconut flakes.
- In order to bread the chicken strips, dip each chicken strip into the egg wash, allowing the excess to drip off, and then dip each strip into breadcrumbs until it is fully coated. Place the breaded chicken strips on a clean plate or tray until all of them are breaded.
- In the end, when all the breaded chicken is finished, it will be time to fry them. Heat 1 1/4 cups of oil over medium heat in a skillet and drop a breadcrumb into the hot oil to check the heat. The breadcrumb should begin to sizzle immediately when dropped into the oil. Whenever the oil begins to smoke, you should remove it from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
- When the oil has reached a hot temperature, you can add chicken strips one at a time, leaving a small space between each. Cook the strips for about three minutes on each side, or until they are deeply golden brown. Once the chicken strips have been cooked, they should be transferred to a plate lined with paper towels so they can dry, then you can repeat this process with another batch. Make sure to remove any burned coconut pieces before beginning the next batch and to add more oil as needed. Make sure to wait until the chicken is hot before adding it.
- There is no better way to serve this meal than with a bowl of sweet chili sauce for dipping after you have fried all the chicken.
*Cooking with a high heat cooking oil is the best way to get the best results. Good options include: canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, refined coconut oil, corn oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, refined olive oil, or refined avocado oil.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 Serving ・ Calories: 873.13 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 82.7 g ・ Protein: 39.45 g ・ Fat: 42.1 g ・ Sodium: 1313.3 mg ・ Fiber: 3.15 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
How to Make Coconut Chicken Strips – Step by Step Photos
Using about 1.3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut them into strips about 12 inches wide. It’s best to cut them on a diagonal, just so they stay more even in length.
Generally, if your chicken breasts are very large, you might want to reduce the length of the strips by half as well.
If your chicken breasts are very large, it might be a good idea to cut the length in half as well. It is important to cut the chicken strips thin enough, since this will allow them to cook through more quickly.
In a large bowl, mix together 1/4 tbsp salt and 2 Tbsp flour. Sprinkle this mixture over the chicken strips and toss until they are evenly coated.
Make sure you use the kind of coconut milk that is in a can, and not the kind that is in a carton that is meant as a dairy substitute. Mix two large eggs and 1 full cup full-fat coconut milk.
There are 1 cup of sweetened coconut flakes and 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs that need to be mixed together in a wide, shallow bowl.
For the breading station, you need to prepare the bowl of coconut egg wash, the bowl of coconut and breadcrumbs, and a plate or tray for the breaded chicken. I will use parchment lined baking sheets in order to make it easy to clean up after I have finished baking the chicken strips.
Each chicken strip should be dipped first into the eggwash, then into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure that each side is completely coated with the breadcrumbs and coconut before placing it on the holding tray.
It is now time for the chicken strips to be baked. Place 1 4 cups of cooking oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat, ensuring the oil does not become too hot, but it should not smoke. When the panko breadcrumbs are dropped into the hot oil, you should immediately hear them begin sizzling right away.
If they do not start sizzling right away, the oil is not hot enough. If they begin to smoke during the cooking process, immediately remove them from the heat and let them cool down so they do not overheat.
After you have heated the oil up, add a few chicken strips to the pan with some space between each one. During the cooking process, the chicken should be lightly golden brown on both sides.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to cool. You should be able to cook the chicken strips in two or three batches if you do not remove any loose pieces of coconut, add a little more oil if necessary, wait for it to reheat, then cook a second batch of chicken strips. You should be able to cook them all in one or two batches if you use enough oil.
After all the vegetables have been cooked, it’s time to put them on the table!
The coconut chicken strips are drizzled with sweet chili sauce in a bowl, which is poured over the chicken strips on top of which a little cilantro is sprinkled on top for a little color, but I think it isn’t necessary for flavor. Sliced green onions are also an excellent garnish option. It is a wonderful dinner idea.
Chicken is a dish that everyone loves, combined with the sweetness of coconut and chili flavor, Apronese believes that everyone will love it. Are you ready to make this dish for the whole family this weekend, let us know in the comments.
