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Coconut Chicken Fingers with Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce

Coconut Chicken Tenders

I’ve got a busy rest-of-the-week this week, so today’s post is going to be short and sweet. I’m leaving tomorrow to meet with the folks at Thomas Nelson and I’m taking part in an exciting event with Martha White and White Lily. They’ve invited 10 bloggers from around the country to participate in their first ever Southern Baking Retreat – and I’m one of them. I’m SO looking forward to meeting some of my favorite fellow bloggers in person and seeing all that the folks from White Lily And Martha White have in store for us. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram and I’ll keep y’all updated from the retreat.

Y’all, these chicken tenders are awesome. In fact, I think Jack referred to them as “jumpin.” (Isn’t he hilarious!?!?) They are the perfect blend of sweet and salty and since they’re baked and not fried, it’s okay to indulge a little. I hope y’all enjoy them as much as we do!

 

Print Recipe

Coconut Chicken Fingers with Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce

Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time35 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1.25 lbs raw chicken tenders
  • 1 cup sweetened flake coconut
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

For the sauce:

  • 1/2 cup pineapple preserves
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425° F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the coconut, panko, flour, garlic powder, ginger, salt, and black pepper and mix well.
  • In a small bowl, beat the two eggs with the water and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
  • Dip the chicken tenders in the egg mixture and then dredge them in the coconut bread crumb mixture. Be sure to press gently to get the coating to stick. Place the chicken tenders on the prepared backing sheet. (Optional: For added color lightly spritz the prepared chicken tenders with non-stick cooking spray.)
  • Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the juices run clear.

To make the sauce:

  • Combine the pineapple preserves, white vinegar, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; mix well.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Hi, which is it for the Dijon mustard? 2 teaspoons or 2 Tablespoons? The ingredients say teaspoon but the instructions say tablespoons. I want to try this soon, it looks and sounds fantastic but I want the sauce to be right.

    Reply

  5. I made these Chicken Fingers this weekend. Really easy with a fun, but not overpowering, tweak to the flavor. My 3 year old lives on chicken strips, so it was fun to mix up the recipe a bit. I didn’t make the Pineapple Sauce, so we dipped ours in spicy brown mustard, ketchup and/or bbq sauce.
    I recommend this recipe if you have a house that isn’t up for really exotic flavors – it’s subtle but a nice accent to your everyday chicken recipe.

    Reply

  7. Every football Sunday my husbsnd loves finger food & I am planning to fix chicken strips along with other finger food, we both love coconut chicken so I will be makng these

    Reply

  8. Stacey, I’m interested in knowing if the dip in this coconut chicken recipe is similar to the sweet and sour dip that Captain D’s restaurant has used for years. I’ve tried duplicating it with no luck. Love your recipes! Thanks for your help!

    Reply

  9. Do you think these might also work with a Piña Colada dip, similar to the one Red Lobster served with coconut shrimp? Or, would that just be too sweet?

    Reply

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