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These Paleo Chicken Tenders are coated in an almond flour and shredded coconut mixture, and baked until crispy. They bake in less than 30 minutes, taste delicious and are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and Whole30 compliant.

Baked Paleo Chicken Tenders with Shredded Coconut in a plate with a knife and fork.

These paleo chicken tenders are amazing. They are flavorful and crispy, yet juicy. They are wonderful on their own or with veggies, fries, or a salad.

They are made with healthier ingredients but taste just as good as other chicken fingers. I’ve become a huge fan of almond flour chicken tenders and these do not disappoint.

Whole30 chicken tenders on a plate.

Why this recipe works

  • These chicken tenders are easy to make and cook in less than 30 minutes!
  • This recipe is allergy friendly. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain-free.
  • These almond coconut chicken tenders work for a wide variety of diets. They are Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
  • They are family friendly. My husband and toddlers love them!
  • They taste great with a wide variety of sauces, including my sweet and spicy dipping sauce.
  • You can add them on top of a kale salad for a healthy lunch.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make baked paleo chicken tenders.
  • chicken– organic free range chicken strips or tenders work best for this recipe.
  • almond flour– blanched almond flour has a better texture for this recipe but you can also use almond meal.
  • shredded coconut– make sure it is unsweetened and shredded thin.
  • paprika, cayenne powder, nutmeg– these spices help flavor the almond flour mixture that surrounds the chicken.
  • egg– this coats the chicken so the almond flour coconut mixture sticks to it.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Additions/Substitutions

  • You can add a wide variety of spices to the almond flour shredded coconut mixture. Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and Italian seasoning all work great here.
  • Instead of almond flour, you can use cashew flour or any other nut flour.

Step by step Paleo chicken tender instructions:

Egg scrambled in bowl.
Step 1

Step 1: mix the egg in a bowl.

Almond flour, shredded coconut mixture in bowl.
Step 2

Step 2: Mix the almond flour, shredded coconut, paprika, cayenne powder, salt, pepper and nutmeg in another bowl.

Chicken in egg mixture in bowl.
Step 3

Step 3: dunk on piece of chicken into the egg mixture.

Chicken dunked in egg then the almond flour mixture.
Step 4

Step 4: Then dunk the chicken into the almond flour shredded coconut mixture. Cover it in the mixture well.

Paleo Chicken tenders on pan prior to baking.
Step 5:

Step 5: Place the chicken onto a cookie sheet and bake.

Baked almond flour chicken tenders on a plate.
Step 6

Step 6: Bake until crispy and then serve.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use almond flour instead of all purpose flour for chicken?

Yes! I find that it is a great replacement and results in a wonderful crispy breaded outside.

How do you store paleo chicken tenders?

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How do you serve these chicken tenders?

The possibilities are endless! You can eat them warm with fries, veggies, or potatoes. You can put them on top of a salad. You can also cut them into bite sized pieces before breading too.

Chicken tenders with almond flour on a plate with a piece cut off.

Other chicken recipes you’ll love

Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!

5 from 8 votes

Baked Paleo Chicken Tenders with Shredded Coconut

Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Sweet, crunchy, almond flour based baked chicken tenders that are satisfying, Gluten-free, and Paleo!

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 pounds chicken
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 Tbs paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • 1 egg whisked

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Grease a cookie sheet with a little olive oil. I like using a silicone basting brush to evenly brush the olive oil onto the cookie sheet.
  • Whisk one egg in a bowl and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix the almond meal, shredded coconut, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl.
  • Take one piece of chicken and dunk it in the egg, then dunk it in the coconut mixture and place it on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until it looks golden brown and crispy/dry.

Notes

  • You can add a wide variety of spices to the almond flour shredded coconut mixture. Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and Italian seasoning all work great here.
  • Instead of almond flour, you can use cashew flour or any other nut flour.

Nutrition

Calories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 25gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 282mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 520IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Paleo
Tried this recipe?Mention @perchancetocook or tag #perchancetocook!
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19 Comments

  1. I HATE, HATE cooking but these looked so easy that i tried them. I LOVE them and will make them over and over again. Very easy to make and I have to admit they taste delish! I also love the fact that I have an excuse to “play” with my food when I roll the chicken into the dry mixture LOL.

    I even tried the cauliflower suggestion and that was delicious as well. Quick easy and yummy meals! Thank you for posting this.

    1. I’m so happy to hear that you liked these chicken fingers! Simpler really can be better 🙂 And of course, being able to play with your food a bit helps too ;). Thanks for the comment!

  2. I love this coconut chicken recipe! It will definitely be one of my “go to” recipes from now on. It was quick, easy, and delicious. I also made the sweet and spicy sauce to go with it. Not only is the sauce amazingly delicious, the two went perfectly together!5 stars

    1. Thanks Brooke! I’m glad you liked it!—coconut chicken and sweet and spicy sauce were made for each other!

  3. I’m a 23 year old man, but my love for chicken nuggets leads my coworkers to believe that I’m more of a child. So, in the eyes of my coworkers, I’m stuck in the realm of a modern day man-child, or that is to say WAS stuck in the realm of a modern day man-child until I gave these coco-chick delights (I’m coining this name) a whirl.

    I can say I don’t lick much, but after finger-jamming these puppies down my throat I was having a finger-licking good time on my 10 digits!

    Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

    1. hahahhaha! I’m so glad you like them, take a photo and tag it #perchancetocook! I’d love to see your creations!

  4. Just tried making these and they turned out great, and were very quick and easy to make! I added ground flaxseed in mine and less coconut! Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Thanks for the comment! Adding flaxseed is a great idea, I’m going to try that next time!

    1. Sorry I couldn’t respond sooner! I’m glad you found it and I’m glad you like the chicken fingers 🙂 You’ll have to let me know if you like the sauce too!

  5. Tried this over the weekend and it is my new favorite chicken finger recipe! Loved the addition of the coconut and the spices were perfect.

    Did you post the sweet and sour recipe yet? I did a quick search and didn’t find it and am wondering if I just missed it. I would love to try it w/the chicken fingers.5 stars