Crispy Coconut Chicken Tenders

Every other month I get a copy of Cooks Illustrated. I love all of the science and deep dive information about food - even if I am not interested in the recipe, I read just to learn. Last month, they did a spread on crispy coconut shrimp and I took their science and applied it to small chicken strips. I did not want to deep fry, so I popped them into my air fryer and still got a crispy result. Certainly not like you’d get at a restaurant, but they were enjoyed! As the article mentions, you do want the sweetened coconut that is generally used for baking because the sugar mixture helps the coconut retain its flavor and moisture.

These would be very easy to make gluten free with some gluten-free panko!

I am not going to flesh this recipe out with more ingredients, but I think some simple steamed rice and sesame broccoli on the side would be great to round it all out.