Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers

Okay, raise your hand if you buy those packaged frozen chicken nuggets. Come on, get those hands up!  Never again will you buy Mickey Mouse or dinosaur shaped chicken, once you try these crunchy, full of flavor homemade nuggets from Our Best Bites Cookbook.  These are a little more work than the frozen ones, but taste amazing, even to adults.  A must try is the tasty dipping sauce, listed below. Yum! My kids still opted for ketchup, Yuk!

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers

From: Our Best Bites

Serves: 4-6

Time: 35 minutes

Print Recipe

1 C Sweetened coconut flakes

1 C Panko bread Crumbs (don’t substitute for regular bread crumbs, you will be disappointed, panko can be found in the Asian section at the grocery store or Progresso makes them now too, right next to the other breadcrumbs)

1 ½ t Garlic Powder

¾ t Salt

¾ t Curry Powder

¼ t Onion Powder

½ C Flour

2 Eggs

12 Chicken Tenders or 3 chicken breast cut into 4 pieces each

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a foil-lined baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Put your coconut into a food processor until the pieces are about as big as the bread crumbs, you can also chop it with a knife or no processor

Combine the coconut, bread crumbs and spices in a shallow dish, stir well.

Place the flour in a shallow dish and the eggs in another shallow dish. Whisk the eggs.

Working with one chicken piece at a time, dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any access, then dip in the egg and then the bread crumb mixture, gently pressing the mixture onto the chicken. Place on prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes until juices run clear and the coconut and breadcrumbs are lightly golden and crispy.

Dipping Sauce

1 Cup Apricot/Pineapple preserves (I used peach once and it was good too)

2 t Soy sauce

¼ t Dijon mustard

1/8 t Curry Powder

Whisk to combine. If you know your kids will opt for ketchup or ranch as their dipping sauce this can be easily halved.

"Put that in your back pocket"

-Meg