Coconut Chicken Fingers (Keto)

Keto Coconut Chicken Fingers

This is week 4 following a Keto Diet.  I am surprisingly happy with this diet change.  Rarely being hungry, though I do CRAVE carbs some days.  Where I am having a challenge, is finding recipes that do not include cheese or cauliflower.  I love cheese, but I really need a break! I’ve found my limit.

So over the last week I looked for recipe options that could possibly be converted to Low -carb and be Keto friendly.

I have to say, these Keto Coconut Chicken Fingers came out just as I had hoped.

I loved them and so did my family.

Not greasy, but incredibly juicy, the breading of Almond meal, egg, and coconut held together perfectly. The coconut flakes I used were very light, not the sticky sweet kind.

You can dip them in your favorite sauce, I combined Hot Sauce and sour cream for my dipping sauce, but my boys enjoyed them with BBQ sauce and Ranch dressing.  The Coconut Chicken Fingers were a delicious low-carb, Keto friendly, non-cheesy, cauli-free dinner option. I hope that you enjoy them too.

Keto Coconut Chicken Fingers

     Ingredients:

• 2 lbs chicken tenders
• 1 – 1 1/2 C finely ground Almond Meal
• 3/4 tsp each  garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs
• 3T. heavy cream
• 3-4 T. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (or your choice)
• 2 C. unsweetened Shredded Coconut (approx)
• Canola oil

This is the coconut that I used- unsweetened, very fine and light textured.

Preparation:    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine Almond meal, spices and salt in a large shallow dish.  In another shallow bowl/dish combine the eggs, cream, and hot sauce. Lastly, pour the coconut on a large plate or another bowl.

You will need a couple of cookie sheets to lay the breaded fingers on before and after they are fried.

Dip the tenders, one at a time in to –  Almond meal mixture and then the Egg mixture.

Don’t roll them in the coconut until the oil is hot.  I let the almond and egg breaded tenders rest on the cookie sheet while the oil heats.

Pour enough Oil in a shallow bottomed pan to cover the bottom to about a depth of 1/2 inch and heat until almost smoking.

When the oil is hot.  Roll the tenders in the coconut and gently lay them in the hot oil. I could fit 4 at a time in my pan with space between them.  Turn when they are nicely browned.  About 4 minutes each side. Remove to cookie sheet.    Add a small amount of oil if needed as you pull each batch out.

When I filled my cookie sheet I put them in the oven for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking and browning.  I checked them with a thermometer for doneness. (160-165 degrees)

Serve hot with sauce and ENJOY.