Coconut Chicken Tenders with Spicy Mango Sauce
If you're looking for delicious party food that's sure to be a hit with the crowd or a tasty weeknight meal the whole family will love, look no further than these coconut chicken tenders with spicy mango sauce. They're a delicious combination of sweet and savory, tender and crisp that will have your guests begging for more!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr
Course: Appetizer/ Main Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 720kcal
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- canola oil or vegetable oil
For the Spicy Mango Sauce
- 1 medium mango
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
In a bowl, combine chicken tenders and seasoning salt. Massage well and allow to marinate for about 10 minutes.
In one shallow bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. In another shallow bowl, place cornstarch. In another shallow bowl, combine shredded coconut and Panko bread crumbs.
Dredge chicken in cornstarch, dip in egg white and then dredge in coconut-bread crumb mixture to fully coat, pressing down to adhere well.
Arrange prepared chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes or until firm.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat about 3 inches deep of oil to about 350 F to 375 F. Add chicken and deep-fry, turning as needed, for about 4 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in batches as needed.
With a slotted spoon or tongs, remove chicken from pan and drain on a wire rack. Serve with spicy mango sauce.
For the Spicy Mango Sauce
Slice mango and scoop flesh, discarding pit and skin.
In a blender or food processor, process mango until blended (like the texture of applesauce).
In a bowl. combine mango pulp, yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, Sriracha sauce, lime juice and salt. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Before dredging, pat the chicken dry with paper towels to get a nice, even coating of flour.
- To ensure the coat adheres well during frying, arrange the coated chicken tenders in a single layer on a sheet pan and freeze for about 10 to 15 minutes or until firm. With a little wait time, you'll have a lot fewer coconut flakes and crumbs floating in the oil and more on your tenders where they matter!
- Heat the oil to the optimal 350 F to 375 F range. Too hot and the breading will brown well before the inside is cooked through. Too low and the chicken tenders will absorb a lot more oil.
- To prevent the oil from plummeting, do not overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches as needed.
- The nutritional facts below do not include the spicy mango sauce which provides an additional 117 calories, 3.7 g protein, 3.4g fat, and 354mg sodium per serving.
Serving: 310g | Calories: 720kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 70.3g | Fat: 34.4g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 202mg | Sodium: 609mg | Potassium: 712mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 2.8g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 7.7mg