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Switching up Monday night with my (oven-fried) Coconut Popcorn Chicken. This coconut “popcorn” chicken is breaded in sweet coconut, oven-baked, then dipped in a spicy, tangy Thai chili lime sauce. Add a creamy honey mustard sauce for an extra dip…you’ll be so glad you did! This is what I call at-home takeout. And yes, these popcorn chicken bites are even healthier than takeout because they’re baked, not fried…plus so much tastier. Serve with steamed rice or oven-baked french fries and veggies for an easy Thai inspired dinner that’s different, sweet, spicy, and full of flavor.
I’m always getting asked where I get inspiration from, and the truth is that my inspiration comes from various places. It can come from my family, the seasons, a simple photo, or even a flower. I can find inspiration for new recipes in almost anything, even the most random items.
This fun coconutty popcorn chicken however? Well, the inspiration for this one came from an overflowing stock of sweet Thai chili sauce. We accidentally ordered ten bottles of this sweet and spicy sauce. And while it’s a sauce I love, I don’t use it that often to warrant 10 whole bottles.
This got me thinking, what can I do with all that sauce? Which is when the idea came to me to make coconut chicken. Sure, I’ve heard of coconut shrimp, but coconut chicken wasn’t something I’ve personally seen (although I’m sure it’s out there). The thought of coconut-crusted chicken dipped in a sweet and tangy Thai chili sauce was way too enticing. I had to at least test out. With my oldest brother quarantined here with us in Colorado, I figured now is as good a time as any.
Creighton loves any kind of breaded chicken, especially popcorn chicken. Or chicken nuggets as he prefers to call them. And while I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about the coconut breading, Creighton said these were some of the best “chicken nuggets” he’s ever had.
He also said, it’s all about the sauces…you gotta have both the chili and the honey mustard.
The steps.
To start, mix up the creamy mustard and toss it with the trimmed chicken tenders. The creamy mustard is our “glue”, it helps adhere the shredded coconut onto the chicken.
Next, combine unsweetened coconut with Panko breadcrumbs. The shredded coconut is the KEY flavor here. As the chicken bakes in the oven, the coconut “fries” and becomes sweet, nutty, and extra crisp.
Tip? Pulse the coconut in the food processor to really break the shreds down into a fine crumb. If you don’t have a food processor, try to find this brand of shredded coconut, which comes very finely shredded. This step is not a must, but I did find the chicken to cook up nicer with a finely shredded coconut versus the small shreds of coconut that are much more common in the store-bought brands.
Next, bake the chicken in the oven until it crisps all over. My secret is to gently dab/brush the chicken with olive oil before it bakes. This helps the coating to really crisp up nicely in the oven. You can’t skip this step, it’s crucial.
On to the Thai and mustard sauces.
No popcorn chicken is complete without a dipping sauce…or two. As I said, I paired this coconut popcorn chicken with a sweet Thai chili sauce using this sauce as my base. I then added a couple tablespoons of ketchup, garlic, and plenty of fresh lime zest and juice. It takes seconds to put together and is truly what I call, an addicting sauce. Think sweet, tangy, and just a touch spicy.
And then, because I felt like we also needed a creamy sauce, I did a simple honey mustard. It’s sweet and creamy, which balances out the heat from the chili sauce. You can skip this sauce if you don’t care for it, but I’d highly recommend using both sauces together. You then get a little sticky sweet and spicy sauce mixed in with a little creamy honey mustard.
It is SO GOOD!
Bake the chicken, then serve it up along with the Thai and mustard sauces. Add steamed rice and broccoli to complete the meal. Dinner equals done.
To sum things up, the chicken is crispy, coconutty, and very addicting. The sauce is spicy, yet sweet and tangy. Put everything together and you’ll have tangy, salty, sweet, coconutty, and spicy popcorn chicken. The most delicious flavors.
Added bonus? Many of these ingredients can easily be found in your pantry and your freezer. With such a large family, I always try to keep chicken tenders in the freezer at all times. They thaw much quicker than chicken breasts, and they make for a great last-minute popcorn chicken. The rest of the ingredients are all taken from the pantry shelves…unsweetened coconut, Panko breadcrumbs, seasonings, and spices.
Just add fresh limes and cilantro.
And with that, who’s ready for a fun, different, and delicious Monday night dinner?
Lastly, if you make this coconut popcorn chicken with sweet Thai chili lime sauce, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the Video:
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 581 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, sour cream, or olive oil mayo
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
- 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- zest and juice from 1 lime, plus more for serving
- creamy honey mustard, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, whisk together the mustard and yogurt. Add the chicken and toss well to coat.2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.3. Add the coconut, Panko, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a medium-sized bowl. Stir to combine.4. Remove each piece of chicken from the mustard mix, and dredge through the crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all the chicken has been used. Make sure not to crowd your pan, if necessary use two baking sheets. Lightly brush/drizzle the chicken with olive oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.5. Meanwhile, make the chili sauce. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. 6. Serve the chicken topped with flaky salt, fresh cilantro, limes, and the Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce for dipping. Add creamy honey mustard for a little double-dip. Enjoy!
Notes
Creamy Honey Mustard: Combine 1/4 dijon mustard, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup sour cream or plain Greek Yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of cayenne pepper in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt.
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: this is my favorite brand of sweet Thai chili sauce.
This post was originally published on May 4, 2020
Can I leave out the coconut flakes??
Hi Karen,
Yes that is okay to do just add some extra Panko. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
The chicken and Thai sauce were delicious. We’ll be making it again soon.
Thank you Alyson! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
Made these today. Pretty simple and so yummy. I could slurp the creamy mustard dipping sauce by the spoonful it was that good.
Thank you so much Dawn! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Delicious recipe! I made this tonight and my toddler devoured it! Thank you for sharing. Love your recipes and photography!
Wow that is so amazing! Thank you os much Maria! xTieghan
I love the taste of this but some of my coconut flakes burned so it doesnt look as good as it tastes! Any recommendations for next time?
Hi Shruti,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! Make sure your coconut flakes are finely ground and be sure to coat the chicken will olive oil before baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made this tonight and served it with your Oven Baked Tuscan Fries, (and some Asian style green beans.) It was delicious! We loved the sauces! The chicken was very tasty but did not get as crispy as yours.. (I drizzled the oil over it, but next time I will brush some on each piece.) I am a new follower, and enjoying all your posts! Thank you very much!
Thank you Cathee! That is so great to hear! xTieghan
Is it ok to use sweetened coconut instead of unsweetened? Making this tonight and the instacart shopper replaced it!
Hi Emma! Yes that should work fine! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
It was edible and taste somewhat OK-ish, reminded me of high school cafeteria. Hopefully next time I pick something it will be better.
Oh jeez.. that does not sound too good! Is there anything I can help you with? Please let me know! xTieghan
I made these in my air fryer. They were SO yummy!!
Love to hear that! Thank you Briana! xTieghan
Just made this tonight and it was perfect! It tasted like some amazing coconut dish I’d get in Hawaii and the dipping sauce truly took the dish to the next level. I’ll be making this again for sure. Thanks for the recipe!
Aw that is the best when a recipe brings back good memories! Thank you for trying this one, I hope you continue to enjoy this and others! xTieghan
The whole family loved it! The sauces are worth making also
Thank you! I am really happy to hear that! xTieghan
Looking forward to trying this recipe, any ideas or input on using an air fryer instead of baking?
Hi Melissa,
So sorry but I don’t own an air fryer and have never used one so I do not feel comfortable advising you to do so. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Delicious! When I got back from the grocery store, I had bought sweetened coconut flakes. Oops. Not wanting to go back to the store, I used them anyway. Also, I used spicy brown mustard as there was no Dijon mustard in the refrigerator. Another oops. I was skeptical of adding ketchup to the sweet chili sauce, but found the sauce to be delicious – the lime made it IMO! Great flavor! Thank you!
Hi Mary! That is so great this came together with what you had on hand! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Do you have any tips on drizzling the olive oil? I don’t get evenly crispy chicken like you do. I get pieces that have olive oil on them and then dry bread crumbs… do you toss them around in olive oil? Just drizzling doesn’t seem to work for me. About how much oil do you use?
Hi Gina,
You could toss them in olive oil or just drizzle the olive oil on each piece. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hmmm… Would this taste good with shrimp instead of chicken?
I think it would taste great with shrimp! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan