Description
Enjoy this crispy coconut coated chicken recipe, a healthier baked alternative to fried chicken. It’s marinated in buttermilk and seasoned with Cajun spices, then coated for a crunchy texture and served with a tangy Creole honey mustard dip. Perfect for family dinners or parties.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (or 2 lbs chicken tenderloins)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (divided)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 cups oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Creole honey mustard dip: Mix mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
- Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken breasts into strips or use tenderloins. Combine buttermilk and 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning in a zip bag. Add chicken, seal, and coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Coat the chicken: Combine flour and remaining 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade, dredge in flour mixture, pressing to coat. Place coated chicken on a tray.
- Fry the chicken: Heat oil in a skillet to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken in small batches for 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and place on a wire rack or paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Serve the crispy coconut chicken tenders with the Creole honey mustard dip.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate chicken overnight.
- Fry chicken in small batches to ensure even crisping.
- Place fried chicken on a wire rack to drain excess oil and maintain crispiness.
- The Creole honey mustard dip can be made ahead of time.
- For a healthier option, bake the chicken at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Pan-fried (with baking option)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 378 kcal
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 591mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 103mg
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