Thursday, September 20, 2007

Coconut Chicken Tenders

I got this idea from www.celiac.com user fiddlefaddle.

Basically, you crush the gluten free chip of choice (tortilla chip, potato, or even cereals). Crush them in a blender, food processor, or in a bag with a rolling pin or empty wine bottle (that's what I did). Then, do the 'parm' thing, dip chicken (this will also work with fish) in cornstarch, then beaten egg, and then in the crushed chips. Bake or fry as you like.

This one is a little different since I used shredded coconut, and used coconut oil (I use this kind of coconut oil) to cook these in. They were great, and easy, next time I will use more shredded coconut, and the recipe below compensates for that. Also, I do not give exact amounts, since it will vary on how much chicken you are cooking.

And, coconut oil's cooking temperature is 350, that's why the chicken is mostly cooked at 350. I turn it up at the end to get the chicken a little brown. (If you want to learn more about coconut oil, try this site....Coconut Oil Research. I was referred to using coconut oil by my naturopathic doctor, and this site is one I just googled for you.)

Coconut Chicken Tenders

chicken tenders
crushed chips, I used tortilla here
unsweetened shredded coconut
cornstarch
beaten egg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix crushed chips with shredded coconut, making it about a 1 part coconut to 2 parts chips ratio.If you want less coconut, do 1 part coconut to 3 parts chips, which is what I did here.

Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of the coconut oil in the pan you are using to bake the chicken. Put in oven, so oil will melt, and make sure there is enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan when melted.

Roll the tenders in the cornstarch, dip in the beaten egg, then roll in the chip mixture. Put aside.

Take the hot pan out of the oven and put the chicken tenders in. Bake in oven about 30 minutes, then up the oven to 375, cooking 10-15 minutes more, or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with a dipping sauce of choice. Here I made up my own - Spicy Marmalade Dipping Sauce.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds delicious! I've never tried coconut oil before but might have to try it out... I'm a new reader and thought I'd say hello. Loving all the great GF recipes, especially some of your quick and simple ideas, like the marmalade sauce.

Mrs. G.F. said...

Gina - Thanks for coming by, and commenting. It is so fun to get comments. :)

I am especially happy to hear you say you like the sauce, I debated putting it up here, since I did not an 'official' recipe.

Hope you have a great day! :)

Thistlemoon said...

I love coconut anything, so this totally works for me!

Welcome to The Foodie Blogroll!

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry - did you say crushed up FIDDLE FADDLE? Umm... EW! LMAO! Too much!

But th coconut thing? SIGN ME UP!
I love this stuff! I especially love coconut shrimp with a sweet chile sauce.

This goes on my list of make-me-soon!

Thank you so much for sharing it!

Mrs. G.F. said...

Jenn- Thank you! And your blogroll is massive! :)

Kate - Crack me up, that would be disgusting! No that was the username of the woman who posted the original idea. :) Hope you like it; it satisfied a craving I was having. Miss that coconut shrimp stuff!

Anonymous said...

SM- This looks awesome. I am on a shrimp kick recently. How do you think this would work with shrimp? This recipe reminds me of Outback's Coconut shrimp that I can't have anymore- they also use marmalade dipping sauce!

Mrs. G.F. said...

Natalie - I think it would work...I think I would dip (or soak...have to think about that...maybe soak, even for 5 min) the shrimp in coconut milk (or regular, but I say run with all this coconut myself), then the cornstarch, then the egg, then the chip stuff.

If you use the coconut milk, then skip the coconut oil if you wish, and use a canola, or whatever high heat oil in it's place. Still heating the oil a little bit, and cooking the shrimp on a higher heat, shorter time.


Hey, if you do this, let me know how it goes!! :)


I have been thinking about the same thing...coconut shrimp. Funny, I remembered them having a sweet sauce, but honestly did not know it was marmalade!!! That IS funny!

kbabe1968 said...

mmmmmmmm....okay, NOW I'm hungry! :D

Anonymous said...

This looks so yummy! I'd been craving chicken nuggets of all things! I found some GF frozen ones, bought a package along with a jar of sweet and sour sauce. I paid way too much for the darned chicken too! As I was unpacking the grocery bag the jar of sauce slipped off the counter and shattered! I was so upset I never put the nuggets in the frezer. Duh! I had to pitch them both in the trash! I should know better. So now I'll try your wonderful looking recipe! Thanks so much!

Ginger Carter Miller said...

I love this idea and had a suggestion for you -- I was thinking use Lite Coconut Milk as the dipping medium, with the chips and coconut. But I love the recipe and will make it soon for my folks here!

Ginger GFINGF.blogspot.com
Gluten Free in Georgia (and Florida)

Anonymous said...

SM-
I made these last night with my mom. I used potato chips and rice flour instead of tortilla chips and cornstarch. (sadly i think I might have a corn allergy. yuck.) I made coconut rice, so I added a little coconut milk in with the egg when I dipped the chicken. I don't know any proportions for the marmalade sauce but I like the taste as you go approach too :) Anyway, they were awesome! I will definitely be making them again. When I get some good-looking shrimp I will try it that way. THANKS!
Natalie

Mrs. G.F. said...

Kbabe - Nice to see you again! How was your trip?

Suzanne - That STINKS! You poor thing. I hate it when I have something I really crave, and then it gets ruined. I hope this satisfies it for you! :)

Ginger - If you look in the comments, I was thinking about marinating in coconut milk..if I had the time and the inclination I would try it that way. Great minds think alike. ;)

Natalie - Ugh..I hope you don't have a corn allergy. I am so glad you enjoyed them; that makes me happy! :) I would love to make the shrimp ones too, they might be a great appetizer.

~M said...

Hi SM-
This recipe was the nudge I needed for getting me to further investigate and buy coconut oil. I'm so glad I have, since everything I read shows it's way healthier than canola oil or even olive oil (in cooked recipes). Have you ever used it in baking, like in a muffin recipe? If so, do you melt it first or use it in solid form? I was so surprised how flavorless it was.

These chicken tenders were great! I used 1 cup Erewhon brown rice gf cereal, 1 cup Gorilla Munch, and 4 T Pamela's flour along with the coconut, processed with elbow grease. I followed another recipe's technique, which avoided use of cornstarch and allowed me to dip the chicken in egg and then into the blended mixture. Do you ever spice up the mixture? I'm trying to think of what spices I'd use next time. I served it with Annie's Honey Mustard and Bone Sucking Sauce (both gf) and lots of steamed broccoli - yumm! Thanks for the recipe!!

Mrs. G.F. said...

M- I am so glad you enjoyed these, and tried a new ingredient!! I have used it in other recipes and I do melt it first, but it is something I haven't used terribly often..it's just in the rotation.

I generally don't spice up the mixture, I use sauces to do that; that way I can make ahead and freeze a bunch, then do whatever suits my mood that day.

stampylisa said...

I tried these tonight, using Nutiva coconut oil, Xochitl tortilla chips and finely shredded coconut. Instead of cornstarch & egg to dredge, I used Sorghum GF flour and Almond milk as the liquid. I don't think I crushed my chips finely enough, but I liked them, they were a little mushy on the bottom side, don't know if I put too much oil. i used a glass pyrex dish. Thanks for sharing this recipe on your blog! my husband is gf as well as dairy free and we're running out of ideas!

~M said...

Hiya Slacker!

I was wondering whether you think this awesome coconut-encrusted technique would work of fish (I don't eat shellfish like shrimp). My fiancé is coconut-crazed and we are trying to bring more fish into our menu rotations :) I was thinking a fish like halibut might work nicely. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or tips. Thank you so much!

Mrs. G.F. said...

StampyLisa ~ I think that if you trun the oven up a bit at the end that might get right of that mushiness on the bottom. Wortha shot anyway. ;)

~m ~ I definitely think this could work with fish...my thought ( thought only, I haven't tried this yet..). When I have made an oven fried fish, I usually soak the fish in milk, ..I think a rice milk (plain!!) might work for that, then do the rest of the recipe as called for. If you do it, let me know how it comes out!!

I have been thinking of a different way for fish, so you have totally helped me out too! I might try a cod or haddock (I do live in New England after all!).

Anonymous said...

Can you please post a recipe for the marmalade sauce? I can't seem to get it right! I'm making it tonight and so far it doesn't seem right after lots of trys. Help!

Anonymous said...

found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it out some more later

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