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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.
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Absolutely loved this recipe! I can’t have gluten so I swapped the panko for ground pork rinds and you’d never know it. Also, that made it more keto-friendly. Next time I’ll put my shredded coconut in the food processor to make it more finely ground. Thank you for your fabulous recipes!
Hey Alicia,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Okay made these for tonight’s dinner and I love i,t keep the recipes coming so I can make never tire of your recipes
Hey Joan,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Wow! This recipe was awwwmazing.
Hey Natalie,
Fantastic! I am thrilled this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Quick question – how much Dijon mustard in the creamy honey mustard? Recipe just notes “1/4”
Thank you!
Hey Kate,
Sorry for the confusion, you will want to use 1/4 cup of dijon mustard. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I love this recipe! Do you think I could put in the air fryer? How long would you recommend and at what temp?
Hey Logan,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am it was enjoyed! Sorry, I’ve never tested this recipe in the air fryer. xTieghan
Any way to make this dairy free? Thanks!
Hey Alex,
You can use your favorite dairy free substitutes in this recipe. I hope you love it! xTieghan
Looks delicious! What else can I use instead of the Thrive Thai sweet chili sauce for the SWEET THAI CHILI LIME SAUCE? Live abroad and can’t find bottled Thai sweet chili sauce :/
Hey Pia,
Do you have access to any kind of Thai chili sauce? I would use what you can find:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious … I just can’t get enough of these recipes!! Making one every single day! I also made this gluten free just by buying gluten free panko bread crumbs – I also made it dairy free by using almond milk plain yogurt. you can also substitute with coconut unflavored plain yogurt. Thanks for coming up with this, delicious!!!!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks for making the recipe, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Absolutely incredible. Melt-in-your-mouth good!! I’ve made them a few times now, and they’re a huge hit with the whole family
Hey Katie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
There is no unit of measurement for the Dijon mustard in the Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce. 1/4 t, 1/4 c??
Hi Lisle, I am so sorry for the trouble. You can use however much sauce you’d like. 1/4 cup should be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! And Happy New Year! xTieghan
Have you tried this in the air fryer yet??
Hey Marley,
Sorry I have not tried this in the air fryer! I hope you love the recipe. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Discovered these nugs about a month ago and I’m already on my third time making them. So. Good.
Thank you so much Kristy! xTieghan
Made this tonight and I’m so proud! Feels like I made something fancy 😉 Used French’s mustard as we didn’t have Dijon and it turned out great. I also made a few pieces flat and long, the shape of chicken strips so they were a bit more kid friendly to eat. Chili sauce was awesome, make sure you make it! I also had to use half sweetened and half unsweetened coconut and it was delish.
Love to hear that! Thank you so much Shannon! xTieghan
This was easy to put together and so flavourful ( as with most HBH recipes). The creamy mustard sauce is a must try but both were so good. Will make this again for sure
Thank you so much Jasmine! I am really happy this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
This dish was so filling and great with sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli. I really enjoyed the coating on the chicken and the creamy honey mustard was 10/10!
Thank you!! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan