Coconut crusted chicken with homemade Bang Bang Sauce is easy and delicious, and makes for a healthy low-carb dinner in less than 30 minutes!
Lately, I’ve really been enjoying chicken with a crispy coconut crust. It’s lower in carbs and healthier than chicken with other flour coatings and makes for an easy and quick dinner when I can’t think of anything else to make.
I randomly came across a recipe for homemade bang bang sauce, and since I had never tried it for myself, I decided to make it on my own.
It’s made with 3 simple ingredients and is incredibly easy to make. Bang bang sauce has been a serious game-changer, and pairs perfectly with coconut chicken tenders!
Jump to:
What does it taste like?
Coconut-crusted chicken is sweet, slightly crispy, and juicy on the inside. The bang bang sauce is sweet, creamy, and a little spicy, too! The coconut chicken dipped in the sauce is seriously the best flavor combination!
Ingredients
Eggs – By coating the chicken in the eggs first, it helps the coconut crust to adhere to the chicken. Basically, it keeps the crust from falling off the tenders.
Chicken tenderloins – I like buying the precut chicken tenderloins just for the convenience factor. You can also cut up your own chicken breasts or thighs, too!
Unsweetened coconut flakes – Make sure to buy the unsweetened coconut flakes to avoid all those added carbs and sugars. I buy them in the bulk section of my local discount grocery store, but you can also buy them on Amazon.
Coconut flour – Another ingredient I buy in the bulk section. This adds a finer texture to the coconut crust and is really low-carb.
Garlic powder – I like to mix this in with the coconut ingredients to give it a bit more savory flavor.
Salt – This also enhances the crust flavor, and just makes it taste better!
Olive oil mayo – Make sure to buy a high-quality mayo made with a healthy oil, like avocado or olive oil.
Thai sweet chili sauce – I really couldn’t find a “healthy” thai chili sauce, so I tried to use as little as possible in the bang bang sauce. This ingredient does have a lot of added sugars, but because I used only 1/4 cup for 4 servings, it really isn’t too bad.
Sriracha – This adds the spicy kick to the homemade sauce, don’t skip it!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs.
- Place the chicken tenderloins in the egg mixture, tossing to coat. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, stir together the coconut flakes, coconut flour, garlic powder, and salt until well combined.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. One piece of chicken at a time, remove chicken from the egg mixture, allow the excess egg to drip off the chicken. Press each piece of chicken firmly into the coconut mixture. Then flip and repeat on the other side. Place each piece of chicken on the lined sheet pan, and bake for 20-22 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the bang bang sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, Thai chili sauce, and sriracha until well combined. Set aside for dipping.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, and allow to cool slightly before eating. Serve with bang bang sauce on the side or drizzled on!
Tips & FAQ
Bang bang sauce is a famous sauce used on a shrimp appetizer at Bonefish Grill. There is actually no Bonefish Grill locations in Oregon, so I’ve never been! But I’ll definitely want to try to go if I ever see one!
You can use the sauce for dipping coconut shrimp, drizzling over vegetables, as a power bowl sauce, or even for dipping or drizzling over kabobs!
Coconut flakes are really fine and can be used to crust chicken, shrimp, and fish. They can be used in overnight oats, smoothies, and smoothie bowls, and even in coconut fat bombs, too!
Flaked coconut does not have to be refrigerated, and will last 2-3 months in the pantry. However, it will last much longer if stored in the fridge or freezer, up to 6-12 months!
Nutritional Info
This recipe is low-carb and high in protein, making it a healthy entree!
If you’re concerned about sodium intake, try to find a low-sodium mayo at the store or only make half of the spicy sauce and drizzle it on the coconut chicken tenders instead of dipping.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 382 calories
- Protein: 43 grams
- Sodium: 745 mg
- Carbohydrates: 19 grams
- Fiber: 4 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
What I paid to make this recipe:
- 2 eggs: $0.58
- 1 ½ lbs chicken tenderloins: $3.58
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes (bought in bulk): $0.61
- ¼ cup coconut flour: $0.21
- 2 tsp garlic powder: $0.09
- ½ tsp salt: $0.02
- ½ cup olive oil mayo: $0.90
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce: $0.82
- 1 tbsp Sriracha: $0.04
Total comes out to be $6.85 or roughly $1.72 per serving!
What do you eat with coconut chicken?
Other than the dipping sauce, some great sides to serve with coconut chicken are:
Other dinner recipes:
Shop my recipe:
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Coconut-Crusted Chicken w/Bang Bang Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ lbs chicken tenderloins
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
Bang Bang Sauce:
- ½ cup olive oil mayo
- ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs.
- Place the chicken tenderloins in the egg mixture, tossing to coat. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, stir together the coconut flakes, coconut flour, garlic powder, and salt until well combined.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. One piece of chicken at a time, remove chicken from the egg mixture, allow the excess egg to drip off the chicken. Press each piece of chicken firmly into the coconut mixture. Then flip and repeat on the other side. Place each piece of chicken on the lined sheet pan, and bake for 20-22 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the bang bang sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the mayo, Thai chili sauce, and sriracha until well combined. Set aside for dipping.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, and allow to cool slightly before eating. Serve with bang bang sauce on the side or drizzled on!
Video
Nutrition
Pin me for later!
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
Coconut-crusted chicken with bang bang sauce is a new family favorite around here because it’s so cheap, can be made in 30 minutes, and is insanely delicious. I can’t wait for you to try it for yourself!
xoxo Megan
The five adults in my family really enjoyed these. We plan to try the recipe with jumbo shrimp soon too!
What a great idea! That would make such a great shrimp sauce! 🙂