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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
I saw this and just knew that I had to make them! It’s now a home favourite and I cannot stop raving to everyone how amazing they are.
Yes! I am so glad you decided to try it! Thank you Michaela! xTieghan
I’m so happy I found this recipe! I grew up with my mom making coconut popcorn chicken for us and this was so close to my memory of it! I used corn flakes instead of breadcrumbs to make gf (pulsed in blender), and did coconut oil instead of olive. I flipped the chicken after 15ish minutes to crisp both sides. So so tasty, thank you!
Sounds like it turned out amazing for you! Thank you for trying this Emily! xTieghan
Getting my kids to eat outside of their norm can be difficult… but this definitely worked for my picky eaters! I sprayed my chicken with a pump or two of olive oil from a spray bottle instead of drizzling it (I’m heavy handed) and instead of topping the chicken with cilantro, I chopped some and added it to the dipping sauce (because it looks less like leafy green stuff that way). My boys and husband devoured it! I didn’t get a pic, as they ate most of it before it hit the table. This is definitely going into rotation. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Wow yes!! I am really glad this recipe is great for picky eaters! Thank you so much for giving this one a try, Brit! xTieghan
Just made these for a quick dinner tonight and everyone loved them. I will be making these again.
That is amazing to hear! Thank you for trying this one, Linda! xTieghan
How much mustard in the honey mustard sauce? It reads “1/4” – is it 1/4 cup like the other ingredients? Just want to be sure!
Help… the sauces were awesome..however the chicken did not brown as the picture u show…I used a whole skinless boneless chicken breast cut into to cubes as you say …however going back to ur instructions you say in another mention to use chicken tenders…help
Hi Roxanne,
Chicken breast or tenders will work because regardless you are cutting them into bite size pieces. Next time be sure to coat them in a nice drizzle of olive oil, this will help to crisp them. Thanks for trying the recipe! xTieghan
Highly recommend the coconut popcorn chicken with sweet Thai chili with lime sauce. It’s easy to make and be sure to double up the portion for the chili sauce. It tastes
So GOOD with the coconut chicken.
Thank you so much Sally! xTieghan
So delicious, was surprised at how juicy the chicken turned out! This will be on regular rotation. Reminded me of Coconut shrimp in Hawaii. Thank you!
Love that! Thank you so much for trying this Sophie! xTieghan
Hello! Making this right now and want to clarify ingredient for honey mustard dipping sauce—is it 1/4 cup of mustard along the the 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup honey?
Hi Terri,
Yes those measurements are correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi! This looks delicious! Would avocado mayo work? Trying to use what I have in the fridge! Thank you
Hi Laura,
Sure that would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Super easy and delicious!
Thank you so much Laura! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I absolutely loved this recipe it was all amazing!! For some reason I ran out of the coconut panko mixture before I ran out of chicken It could have been i cut way to much chicken. The flavors are outstanding!! Recently, I was having a conversation with my friend who is a photographer and helps with my food business. I told him most of the food I cook comes from either your blog or cookbook. He asked me why this was the case. Simply, put you are one of the few that know how to elevate a recipe to the next level Everything you make looks so delicious and taste amazing!! Your recipes inspire me and make cooking even more fun. Whenever I cook for someone it’s your food I want to cook for them. Thank you for the inspiration!!
Oh wow!! That is so amazing to hear Mike! I am really glad you enjoy my recipes and photos! That is part of the fun haha. Thank you! xTieghan
do you think this recipe would be made with cauliflower instead of chicken? looks great!
Hi Kate! Yes I think it will be great! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
this was a 10/10 recipe!!! I am stuffed. so good. Cook time was longer than listed as the coconut and panko took longer to brown up, I eventually set it to broil
I am so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much Stacey! xTieghan
I just made these. They are awesome!!!!
Thank you so much Michele! xTieghan