Free: Healthy 5-Ingredient Meals Ebook
Get It NowYears ago in my early college days, I got coconut crusted chicken almost every day after my shift at the restaurant where I worked. It’s been two decades since then, but they were so good that I still think about them sometimes! So, I made this coconut chicken recipe to satisfy those cravings — and you’ll be craving it too once you try it. It tastes a lot like coconut shrimp, but with chicken instead.
Why You’ll Love This Coconut Chicken Recipe
- Crispy outside with subtle coconut flavor
- Juicy, tender chicken
- Combination of savory and lightly sweet
- Just 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper)
- Ready in 30 minutes
- Naturally low carb, gluten-free, and just plain healthy
- Kid-friendly, adult approved dish
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for baked coconut chicken, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Chicken – I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into strips, but you can also make this coconut chicken recipe with whole chicken breasts or even boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Wholesome Yum Coconut Flour – It’s perfect for dredging (which helps the egg stick to the chicken), enhances the coconut flavor of this dish, and is naturally gluten free.
- Eggs – These help the breading stick. Use eggs straight from the refrigerator if you can, as cold eggs help create a better binding effect.
- Coconut Flakes – I prefer unsweetened coconut flakes which are still mildly sweet on their own, but if you want a sweeter flavor, you could use sweetened ones (if you don’t mind the added sugar) or mix them with a little sugar substitute of your choice if you like.
- Spices – Garlic powder, smoked paprika (or regular works), sea salt, and black pepper. Simple!
How To Make Coconut Chicken
This section shows how to make coconut crusted chicken, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep and season the chicken. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, then cut into tenders. Pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
- Set up your dredging stations. Arrange three bowls – one with beaten eggs, one with coconut flour, and one with a mixture of coconut flakes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Coat the chicken. Dredge each chicken strip in the coconut flour, dip in the egg (shake off any excess), and finally press/roll in the coconut flakes. Place on a nonstick wire rack over a lined baking sheet (here’s the set I use). It’s best to spray or brush the rack with oil to prevent sticking.
- Bake. Place the coconut chicken in the oven and bake, flipping halfway through, until cooked through and golden brown. For crispier chicken, broil for a couple of minutes on each side at the end.
Tips For The Best Coconut Chicken
Although this coconut chicken recipe is pretty easy, here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way:
- Pound the chicken to the same thickness. This will ensure that they cook at the same rate. If some are thicker than others, the timing will vary and the thinner ones will dry out by the time the thicker ones are done.
- Small coconut flakes stick better. If you have big flakes, pour the coconut flakes into a zip lock bag and seal. Pound the bag several times to break up the flakes into smaller pieces.
- Work in batches to prevent clumping. Instead of dipping the egg-dipped chicken directly into the coconut flakes mixture, add just some of it to an extra bowl and dip in that. Once you run out, add more. This prevents the breading mixture from getting too wet from the egg and starting to clump.
- Use two hands. Use one hand for the flour, switch hands for the egg dip, and return to the initial hand for rolling in coconut flakes. This reduces clumping and ensures a smooth coating process.
- Don’t skip the wire rack. It’s the difference between slightly crispy and super crispy coconut chicken!
Storage Instructions
- Store: Although best served fresh, you can keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: You can warm up coconut chicken in the oven at 350 degrees F, or in the air fryer for even crispier results.
- Freeze: You can freeze coconut chicken before or after baking. To meal prep for later, assemble them (but don’t bake) and freeze in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a zip lock bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Bake from frozen when ready to eat (it will take longer). If you’re freezing leftovers, you can freeze them using the same method for up to 3 months, and just reheat.
What To Serve With Coconut Chicken
Coconut chicken goes with almost anything! Here are some ideas:
- Dipping Sauce – These tenders pair particularly well with honey mustard… try my 5-minute sugar-free honey mustard pictured above! But you could also go with classic ranch or BBQ sauce.
- Salad – The restaurant that inspired this coconut chicken recipe used to offer them over a salad with mandarin oranges and honey mustard dressing, but I also like them over a simple arugula salad.
- Fries – A side of garlic parmesan fries makes the perfect side, but if you want a faster method, try air fryer french fries. For lighter options try zucchini fries.
- Vegetables – The sweet and savory flavors pair perfectly with roasted delicata squash. For a classic healthy meal, serve coconut chicken with simple roasted cauliflower, sweet air fryer carrots, or mixed air fryer vegetables to use up anything you have on hand.
More Baked Chicken Recipes
Are you in the mood to try out some new baked chicken recipes? Try these next:
Tools For This Recipe
- Baking Sheet And Wire Rack – My favorite set for making baked foods crispy! I use it for baking bacon in the oven, bacon wrapped asparagus, baked chicken wings, and more.
Coconut Chicken (6 Ingredients!)
This coconut chicken recipe needs just 6 ingredients! You'll love this easy, juicy chicken coated in a crispy, golden brown coconut crust.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Place a nonstick wire rack onto a lined baking sheet (here's the set I use). Spray or brush the rack with oil.
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Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness, then cut into tenders (about 3 tenders per chicken breast). Season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
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Optional step if you have big flakes: Pour the coconut flakes into a ziploc bag and seal. Pound the bag several times to break up the flakes into smaller pieces.
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Arrange three bowls – one with beaten eggs, one with coconut flour, and one with a mixture of coconut flakes, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper.
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Dredge each chicken strip in the coconut flour, dip in the egg shaking off the excess), and finally press/roll in the coconut flakes. Place on the wire rack.
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Bake coconut chicken for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until firm and cooked through.
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Optional: Turn the oven to the broil setting. Broil on the top rack for about one minute, until one side is crispy. Flip the chicken over, then broil one minute on the other side.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 coconut chicken tenders
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
114 Comments
Tresna Wood
0Flavor was good but very dry, had to have a sauce with it.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tresna, It’s pretty typical for coconut chicken tenders to be served with sauce. But the chicken shouldn’t be dry; if it was, it was overcooked. The cook time can vary a bit depending on the size of the chicken tenders.
Cindy
0Is there a conversion to make these using an air fryer?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cindy, I have not used an air fryer but let me know your results if you try.
SissysweetP
0Any suggestions on a keto version of a sweet citrusy dip to go with this? I’m thinking sugar free orange marmalade mixed with a little Dijon mustard. 🤔 (Serving with baked sweet potato)
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi SissysweetP, Here is a recipe for Sweet & Sour sauce.
Susan
0These came out pretty well, but I left all the seasoned coconut in its bowl, and the net result was that the seasoning all went to the bottom of the bowl. I am not sure how to keep the seasoning evenly distributed in the coconut. I also found that the recipe amounts gave me way more than enough coconut flour, plenty of egg, but only about half of what I needed of the coconut. I am giving consideration to mixing the spices in with the coconut flour, so that the chicken pieces will be evenly spiced. That would also enable me to follow your directions about not having all the coconut in one bowl. I am not sure I’ll make them again, just because I don’t have a thing about chicken tenders (one of the hazards of being old and never having had children).
Erin
0Put the seasoning on a plate instead of a bowl! That was a game-changer for me when I started making my own tenders. Much easier to distribute the seasoning and you can just keep remixing it when it doesn’t look even. Hope that helps!
Karen
0Very successful and satisfying. We cooked a bit longer and turned half time for a crispier crunch.
Tracy
0Hi! What’s the sodium content for each serving?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Tracy, Sorry, I don’t track the sodium in my recipes. If you need to know the sodium levels, feel free to enter the recipe into an online food calculator for an accurate sodium count.
Denise Loveless
0Curious what do you use as a keto dipping sauce?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Denise, The images show my Keto Honey Mustard recipe from the Easy Keto Cookbook. You can use any dressing as a dip! I have several dressings here.
Cookingmama
0I found this recipe on Pintrest and it is delicious. I followed the recipe and the chicken was moist and tender and the coconut crust was crisp and amazing. I will definitely be making this again.
Anna H
0OMG….!!!! AMAZING.As my first Paleo recipe getting a bit more complicated I truly loved it. I also made a paleo honey mustard. Highly recommend!
Megan
0I used this recipe and made Coconut Shrimp as I had some shrimp that needed to be cooked and no chicken on-hand. They were delicious! Very easy to make. I made them with the Asian salad. Both were very good. I will definitely make these again, and will definitely make the chicken version.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Megan, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! For anyone else interested, here is the recipe for coconut shrimp.
Sarah
0These were so good! My husband and stepson made these and were so easy!
Gabrielle
0Wow, this was absolutely amazing. We had some friends come over and served this with premade sweet chili sauce mixed with plain yogurt and siracha. I seriously ate like 7 tenders!!
Sara
0I made these last night, and had to adapt for stovetop cooking. I used saved up bacon grease to pan fry. They came out crispy and juicy, and cooked faster than I had anticipated. These are wonderful! I made a low carb “honey” mustard dipping sauce. I did have some issues with gooey fingers and had to rinse twice while breading. I also just put the spices directly on the chicken before dredging in the coconut flour since I wasn’t sure how much of the flakes I would actually use. I will definitely be making these again, and I am not a fan of chicken.
Meg
0Delicious! I’ve made these several times. The whole family loves them!
Rebecca Ansel
0Looks delicious! What do you use for the dipping sauce?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rebecca, The images show a mustard dipping sauce, the video shows sugar-free ketchup. I hope you enjoy!
Niki
0Can you use regular flour ?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Niki, I haven’t tested this recipe with white flour, so I cannot guarantee the results. I think white flour should work in the recipe.
Tanya
0Yummy!! I previously shredded and frozen fresh coconut so I put the fresh frozen shredded coconut in the blender to make the pieces smaller and they stuck and tasted much better – a blended coconut flavor versus the intense flavor that tends to make me fear cooking with coconut. Love the tips about lining and spraying your pan and wire rack. Served with fresh lemon asparagus. Heaven on Earth!
Cindi
0Made these tonight and my husband even loved them! The only thing I was missing was a dipping sauce. I was thinking about eating coconut shrimp with the sweet sauce they use. I’ll do these again!
Jackie L
0This recipe is so good! I used chicken tenderloins! Anyway such a yummy recipe!
Bill
0I made and loved this recipe. The chicken did come very crispy as I cooked it in a copper non-stick rack sitting in it’s complimentary tray. Could you recommend a sauce for the chicken?
Wholesome Yum A
0Of the sauce recipes I have, the one that would go best is the honey mustard one from my cookbook!
Corey
0What can I use to substitute egg?? I have several food allergies and can’t eat egg.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Corey, I think you could use full-fat coconut milk here, but I haven’t tried it myself. Let me know if you do!
Robin
0I tried the coconut milk and it worked perfectly. I just used normal paprika since I didn’t have smoked on hand.
These were delicious!
Derek
0I used melted coconut and olive oil instead of eggs. Works great. Coated the chicken in a bag with oil, added flour and spices. And gave the bag a good shake.
Susan
0Your recipe is so much more thought out than the one I use. Thanks for tips and good details. Delicious!
Brenda
0Greetings from Canada
Have you tried substituting tofu for the chicken? We’re vegetarian. Do you think tofu would be a good substitute? Thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brenda, I have not tried this, but I imagine the tofu would hold up well to this application.
Lisa
0These were delicious!!! I added some stevia powder to sweeten them a bit and they were perfect. Thank you for the recipe!
Phillissa
0Looking for the “honey mustard” dipping sauce in the picture.
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Phillissa, I don’t currently have a recipe for honey mustard but you may enjoy this Low Carb Dipping Sauce recipe.
Simera
0Can I use boneless chicken thighs?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Simera, Sure, you can!
Wholesome Yum A
0I tried this recipe tonight and must say that I am impressed:) it was way better than I thought it would be and is super easy to make. It definitely helps to use finer coconut flakes as they stuck like a charm. Great recipe! Thank you!
Destin Wright
0The coconut wasn’t as crisp for me as I would’ve liked but then again I didn’t broil it lol. The flavor is there. Your site is the GREATEST THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH! kids loved them
Ash
0Unfortunately this recipe does not go crispy and golden like normal chicken nuggets, it stays like raw flour which is super unpleasant when you bite into it even when baking for much longer than stated time. Shame because it smelled so good with the KFC seasoning blend added in.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ash, Sorry this recipe didn’t turn out as expected. If you are looking for a crispy coating for your chicken, check out this recipe for Air Fryer Low Carb Fried Chicken.
Brenden
0Can you do this with chicken thighs? If so for how long in the oven and at what temperature?
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brenden, I haven’t tried that. It should work as long as you de-bone the thighs and slice them into similar size pieces. I would cook at the same temperature, but check with a thermometer to make sure the internal temp has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If they start browning too quickly you can tent them with foil.
Steve
0Yummy and easy recipe. I added some Thai red curry paste, mixed it with the egg before dipping. I used 1/2 tbsp per 4 eggs. Shallow surface cuts in the breast pieces gave them more surface area for flavor and coconut flour. Using the broiler to finish them off puts it over the top, just not the same crunch without it.
Carol Nicola
0Great idea with the Thai curry paste! Yum…
Marian
0Fabulous!! Kids liked it too
Marian
0Just made this today and it was wonderful! And so simple.
Linda Pecoraro
0How long would I cook coconut chicken tenders in an air fryer and what temperature?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, I haven’t tried that yet, sorry!
Salwa Bachsinar
0Hi, can i use shredded coconut instead of flakes?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Salwa, Yes, that’s what I was referring to!
Laura
0Hi there! I cant wait to make these! They sound amazing! My boyfriend loves chicken strips but always wants a sauce with them. What would you recommend for a good dipping sauce for these?
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Laura, you might like this sauce recipe.
Jade Monz
0Can I use almond flour instead of coconut flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jade, Usually they aren’t interchangeable in baking, but for a breading recipe like this one it should work fine.
Ashley
0This looks incredible! I hope it isn’t wrote all over your post a dozen times…but, what kind of sauce are you dipping them in in the picture? Or do you have any sauce suggestions?
Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Ashley! It’s a dijon mustard dipping sauce. Otherwise, I like spicy appetizer dipping sauce with just about anything.
Dana Richards
0Looking for saturated fat content. On the baked coconut fingers. Total fat is 22g. Not sure how to do about figuring that out. Thanks!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Dana, The listed nutrition info is all I have off hand, but you can enter your ingredients into any online calculator if you need more info. That being said, I don’t look at saturated fat content, as the relationship between that and heart disease has been disproven according to several studies I read.
Patti
0Do you think frying in a air fryer would work? Love unsweetened coconut.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Patti, Yes, that should work!
Brittany
0This sounds fantastic! I’m considering doing it with jumbo shrimp instead of chicken. Any thoughts or tips?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brittany, I haven’t tried but it should work similarly to the chicken.
Rae
0Hello, would these freeze well?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rae, Yes! I’ve frozen them without a problem. Prepare them as directed – all the steps except baking – and place on parchment lined cookie sheet, then place in the freezer. Once they are hardened, you can remove them from the baking sheet and place in a freezer bag. You can then bake them directly from frozen, or thaw before baking. If doing it from frozen, the only difference will be a longer cook time in the oven.
Natalie
0I tried the recipe, and it tasted good….but I had issues getting the coconut to stick and they definitely didn’t turn out as crispy and golden brown as yours. What’d I do wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Natalie, I added some tips to the bottom of the post. I hope those are helpful!
Angela
0Where did the garlic powder come in? I saw it in the ingredients but not the directions.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for catching that, Angela! The garlic powder gets mixed in one of the bowls in step 4 – I updated the recipe card.
Trace
0If you could think of a recipe for low carb pineapple dip that would be so amazing!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for letting me know, Trace! I love getting requests. I’ll add that one to my list!
Lina Albelo
0Can I use whole wheat flour instead if I dont have coconut flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lina, Yes, you can. Usually coconut flour and wheat flour are not interchangeable because they absorb moisture differently. But, in this recipe the flour is just used to help the egg stick, so wheat flour would also work.
Toni
0No one will eat just one. Way too much saturated fat!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Toni, You can definitely eat more than just one. 🙂 I wouldn’t worry about the saturated fat, as the link between saturated fat and heart disease was disproven (source). The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut (which is where most of the fat in this recipe comes from) have actually been shown to have health benefits, like fighting infection, reducing appetite, and improving blood cholesterol levels (sources here, here, and here). I’d much rather have these over wheat breaded chicken tenders. 🙂
Tobbe
0Thanks for a tasty looking recipe! How do you make that dijon dipping sauce? And what would you serve as a side to create a full meal out of this?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tobbe, The dipping sauce was store bought… I wish I remembered the brand, sorry. I’m working on making my own though, too. There are lots of options for side dishes! I have tons of recipes for low carb side dishes here if you’re looking for ideas.
Brittany
0About how many tenders is based off of the nutrition facts?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Brittany, The nutrition facts are for two tenders (recipe makes 6). I had large 6 oz chicken breasts, so each tender is about 2 oz of chicken. You can see the nutrition info is low for a whole meal, so you can easily have a few of these for dinner (or any meal). They’re pretty filling, too. Hope this helps!
Raegan C.
0Instead of cutting up chicken breasts and pounding them to an equal size, could you just use regular raw chicken tenders (that come in the pack, just like chicken breasts) and not pound them or do the breasts give better flavor or something? Sounds like a great recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yes, of course you can! Pounding does give a little extra tenderness but it works fine without this step too. The important part is you’ll want them to be similar in thickness so that they cook evenly.
Allie
0What’s in the dip in the photo?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0They are shown with a simple dijon mustard sauce, but any dipping sauce you like will work!
Sumayya
0These are calling out to me. My family likes chicken, but not so much coconut, and some can’t tolerate too much heat/spice for health reasons, so I’d have to reduce the quantities. Does the coconut flavour some through at all? (I guess the other seasoning might mask it.)
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Some coconut flavor does come through in the coconut flakes. You can more finely crush the flakes so that the spices coat them better, and add more spices to mask the coconut taste. Smoked paprika is a good one that has a lot of flavor but isn’t “hot”. Hope you like them!