Coconut Chicken

4.77 from 26 votes

Dredge, fry, dip, bite. This crispy Coconut Chicken made with sweet coconut and spicy cayenne is guaranteed to become a favorite! With a small list of ingredients and simple step-by-step instructions, you'll be pondering why this recipe hasn't graced your dinner table yet. Complete with both frying and baking instructions!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: coconut chicken, crispy coconut chicken

Servings:

Calories: 629kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

½ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
3 large eggs
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 ½ pounds chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cut into long thin strips
oil for frying

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Fry

Prep the ingredients: Grab three shallow bowls. In the first, mix the cornstarch, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Beat the eggs in the second bowl. Fill the final bowl with coconut flakes.
Dredge the chicken: Dredge the chicken pieces first in the cornstarch mixture, then in the eggs, and finally in the coconut, making sure the chicken is fully coated with coconut flakes. Repeat with all chicken pieces.
Fry: Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a deep pot or skillet to 350°F. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time to the hot oil, do not over-crowd. Fry the chicken for about 2 to 3 minutes on both sides, making sure the inside is cooked through. Transfer the chicken onto a paper towel lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
Serve: Serve with sweet and sour sauce or your favorite sauce.

To Bake

Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dredge the chicken as instructed above in step 2.
Bake: Place the dredged chicken on the prepared baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is crisp and golden brown.

Notes

Nutritional information is for fried coconut chicken.
Add your own spices into the mix to create different flavor combinations!
Let the chicken fully cool down to room temperature. Place the chicken pieces in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat and retain crispiness, preheat the oven to 325°F. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes as the oven preheats. Place the chicken on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 7-10 minutes, or until heated through.

Nutrition