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    Home » Dinner

    Gluten-Free Crunchy Coconut Chicken Bites

    Published: Apr 20, 2017 · by Audrey

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    Gluten-free crunchy coconut chicken nuggets are scrumptious bites from tropical heaven. Baked, not fried, mimics the texture and flavor of being a perfectly fried bite of yumminess.

    gluten-free coconut chicken nuggets

    Coconut Chicken Bites

    I have something to admit. I miss fried food. Especially coconut shrimp (Hello, Outback!) Oh, and let’s not forget about fried chicken bites, nuggets, and strips.  There is something exotic and tropical about coconut shrimp and nothing reminds me of homestyle cooking like fried chicken.

    I have not been brave enough to try my hand at making coconut shrimp, but I have copied the flavors with her close cousin, the gluten-free crunchy coconut chicken bites.  Here’s the big secret, these scrumptious bites from tropical heaven are not fried. No, no they are not. But they are baked.

    The Honey Nut Chex cereal coating mimics the texture and flavor of being a perfectly fried bite of yumminess. This recipe is not difficult, especially if you have a food processor. Don’t worry, my friend, if you don’t have one. You too can still make these tropical crowd pleasers.

    Serve these gluten-free crunchy coconut chicken bites at your next party or make dinner a tropical delight. Oh, and don’t forget to dip these beauties in the orange sauce.

    gluten-free coconut chicken nuggets
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    5 from 4 votes

    Gluten-Free Crunchy Coconut Chicken Bites

    Gluten-free crunchy coconut chicken nuggets are scrumptious bites from tropical heaven. Baked, not fried, mimics the texture and flavor of being a perfectly fried bite of yumminess.
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Keyword coconut chicken, gluten-free chicken nuggets, gluten-free coconut chicken
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 33 minutes
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 284kcal
    Author Audrey from Mama Knows Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Honey Nut Chex cereal It is a gluten-free cereal
    • 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut
    • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1x1-inch pieces nugget size
    • 1 /2 cup of mayonnaise
    • Orange marmalade dipping sauce
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400°F.
    • Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
    •  Crush Honey Nut Chex cereal in a food processor.  If you do not have a food processor, you can easily crush the cereal by placing in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
    • Add the crushed cereal and coconut to a large plastic storage bag. (Think Shake and Bake)
    • Cut your chicken into nugget sized pieces. I find it easiest to cut the breasts in half and then cut the halves in half again. Then cut the quarter chicken breast pieces into nugget sized pieces.
    • Put chicken into a bowl of mayonnaise and stir to coat the chicken evenly with mayonnaise.
    • Place the mayonnaise-covered chicken pieces in the plastic storage bag of cereal and coconut mixture. Turn the plastic storage bag over and over until the chicken pieces are coated evenly.
    • Place chicken on a large greased baking sheet.
    • Bake for 18-20 to minutes; until the coating is light golden brown. All ovens are different, so please watch the chicken towards the end so the coconut does not burn.
    •  Serve with melted orange marmalade.

    Notes

    Mama says "Check all of your labels!"

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 399mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 345IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 10.1mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica says

      January 29, 2023 at 10:58 am

      I made this recipe this week and it was quick and delicious! It was a hit with my 5 year old and 3 year old! I just crushed the cereal in a ziploc bag with the bottom of a cup, and used part sweetened and part unsweetened coconut because that is what I had on hand. The orange sauce was simple yet delicious. Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Julie Smith says

      September 22, 2022 at 2:29 pm

      I just made these again this afternoon, they were even better than the first time. Was out of orange marmalade so I dipped them in pumpkin jam.

      Reply
    3. Anne Carruthers says

      May 06, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      This was delicious! I cooked it in my air fryer and it came out tender, crispy, and flavorful. The orange marmalade made a wonderful dipping sauce. Thanks for a great recipe.

      Reply
    4. Julie Smith says

      December 29, 2020 at 6:33 pm

      I have made this twice and enjoyed it thoroughly. Tonight I made it and crushed the cereal with the vitamix and it made it too dry. Usually I just crush in bag with hands that seems better.

      Reply
    5. Pat says

      April 09, 2020 at 8:09 pm

      I made this tonight and it was awesome !
      The heated orange marmalade made it taste like orange chicken , delish !

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        April 10, 2020 at 9:08 am

        Thank you so much {at for the wonderful recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chicken. Thank you for sharing that you used orange marmalade and it tasted like orange chicken, as I know it will help others. Thanks again!

        Reply

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    Audrey Roberts in a white kitchen for a profile photo

    I'm Audrey Roberts, a busy mama of four and I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. I make gluten-free family-friendly recipes that are simple and delicious that you can too! I use easy to find ingredients that won't break your budget. You will also find dairy-free options and Paleo recipes. I am also the author of  The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook, which is an Amazon Best Selling Cookbook in the US and Internationally. Living gluten-free since 2010. I hope by me sharing my journey it may help you with yours.  Read More…

     

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