Coconut Chicken Tenders

These baked coconut chicken tenders are a great example of how small changes can make familiar meals feel new again without making dinner harder.

Try something new! These coconut chicken strips are a great weeknight dinner recipe, and come with dipping sauce the whole family will love!

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If chicken tenders are already in your regular rotation (and let’s be honest, they probably are), this version keeps everything kids love — crispy, dippable, comforting — while adding just enough flavor to make it interesting for everyone else at the table.

They bake in the oven, come together quickly, and pair with a simple dipping sauce that feels a little special without being fussy. Nothing about this meal is complicated or intimidating. It’s still chicken tenders, just with a hint of coconut that makes them feel fresh instead of repetitive.

This is the kind of dinner that works well on busy nights and helps gently expand your family’s flavor comfort zone.

Why this recipe works for real life:

This is one of those meals that meets everyone where they are.

• Ready in about 30 minutes
• Baked instead of fried, with very little prep
• Familiar enough that kids don’t hesitate but different enough to keep adults interested

It’s a low-pressure way to introduce a new flavor while staying firmly in “safe food” territory.

How to make these baked coconut chicken tenders

This recipe is straightforward and weeknight-friendly. Here is a brief overview. For the full set of written directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.

• Mix the coconut, flour, and spices in a shallow bowl
• Whisk an egg in a second bowl
• Cut the chicken into evenly sized strips
• Dip each strip into the egg, then coat in the coconut mixture
• Arrange on the baking sheet, drizzle lightly with melted butter
• Bake until golden and cooked through

While the chicken bakes, stir together the dipping sauce!

Making this work for kids:

Because these are still “chicken tenders,” most kids jump right in. A few easy serving tweaks can help even more:

• Serve the dipping sauce on the side so kids control how much they use
• Pair with something familiar like rice, fruit, or roasted veggies
• Call them “crispy coconut chicken” instead of focusing on what’s different

At the table, you can keep things light:

• Is the coating crunchy or soft?
• Does the coconut taste sweet or mild?
• Would they dip it again next time?

No pressure to love it — just space to notice.

This is exactly the kind of recipe that fits into a gentle approach to feeding families: familiar foods, small twists, and no expectations beyond sharing a meal together.

If you’re looking for more recipes like this — simple, flexible, and built for real life — you’ll find plenty of ideas and occasional fun freebies inside the free community.