Coconut-Lime Chicken Fingers with Coconut Milk Ranch
Chicken fingers are that kid food that no one ever grows out of…
…Nor should they. Why are chicken fingers relegated to kids’ menus anyway? Crispy chicken you can eat with your hands? What adult wouldn’t want that?! Sounds more like an everyone food to me.
Coconut is like my thang, lately (on top of Thai food, obv). I think I used it in three different recipes last week? Can’t stop, won’t stop. This one is particularly unique—coconut milk ranch? Yes, it’s happening and it’s glorious. Ranch is arguably one of the best dippers for chicken fingers, so it only makes sense that coconut milk ranch would be the best for coconut chicken fingers!
I really like the lime zest in the tenders because it gives them a bit of zip. Plus, with all the coconut, this feels downright tropical.
You’ll probably have some leftover coconut milk ranch, but it’s an awesome dip for veggies, or over a salad. Actually, these tenders would be fabulous on a salad with the coconut milk ranch dressing, and maybe like some mango in there somewhere. Yes. Yes yes yes.
I mean really though, a vegan ranch dressing is kind of awesome…even if I am serving it up to you on some very non-vegan chicken, haha!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp hot smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp worcestershire sace
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh dill
- 1 tbsp fresh chives
- freshly ground pepper
- kosher salt
- olive oil
- 3 chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (I use reduced-fat)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (I use the whole wheat variety)
- 1/4 tsp hot smoked paprika
- zest from 1 lime
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend just until combined. Season, to taste with salt and pepper as desired.
- Store in the fridge until ready to use (it will solidify just a tad in the fridge from the coconut milk solids, but it will get creamy super easily either with being left out for a fe minutes, or sticking warm chicken tender in it).
for the coconut-lime chicken tenders:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub a baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the garlic powder, some salt, some pepper, coconut, panko, paprika, and lime zest. Use your fingers to make sure it's all evenly distributed.
- In an other bowl, beat the egg with the water.
- Dip each tender in the egg wash, and then roll it in the coconut mixture. Lay the tenders out on your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes then flip with tongs, and bake an additional 8-10 minutes.
Looks great, pretty much paleo friendly as well