Air Fryer Coconut Chicken

Breaded chicken strips on a plate with a bowl of dip.

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5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Coconut Chicken

Easy coconut chicken recipe with 6 ingredients and only 12 minutes of cooking time.

Prep Time6

Cook Time12

Total Time18

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Canadian

Servings:

Calories: 225kcal

Author: Jacqueline Piper

Equipment

Instant Pot Vortex Plus Air Fryer or basket style air fryer

Ingredients

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut each into 4 strips
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
½ teaspoon hot sauce optional
¼ teaspoon salt divided
¼ teaspoon pepper divided
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
Cut each chicken breast into about 4 long strips.
Set the breading station: Add the egg, hot sauce (if using), and half of the salt, and pepper to one bowl. Mix well. Add the Panko breadcrumbs and coconut to a second bowl and mix well. Add the flour, chipotle chili powder, and the rest of the salt and pepper to a third bowl.
Bread the chicken: Dip each chicken breast in the flour, then the egg, and then the breadcrumbs. Let the excess egg drip off and tap off the excess flour during breading. Use two forks, or use one hand as a dry hand and one as a wet hand to help prevent coating your fingers in breadcrumbs and flour.
Place the breaded chicken strips on the air fryer tray or basket, leaving room between each strip. Spray with cooking oil if using.
Air fry: Air fry the chicken strips for 10-12 minutes, flipping the chicken and rotating the trays halfway. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Oven Instructions

To bake the chicken in the oven instead, lay the coated chicken on a baking sheet and bake at 400℉ (200℃) for 20-24 minutes, or until done, flipping halfway.

Video

Notes

Depending on the size of your air fryer you may need to work in batches. Mine has two trays and I can comfortably cook 2 chicken breasts worth of strips at a time. The chicken breasts at my store are usually 8-10 oz each.

I use a meat thermometer to ensure my chicken is cooked. The government of Canada states that chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

This is just enough egg, with a little extra flour and breadcrumbs mixture. To make larger batches, double or triple the recipe, making sure to use 1 egg for every two large chicken breasts.

The chipotle chili powder and hot sauce give a very subtle flavor, but you can feel free to omit them.

Store leftover chicken in a container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the air fryer just until heated through. You can microwave them to reheat but they won't be crispy.

Nutrition