If you crave crispy, crunchy fried food and think itโs behind you on the keto diet, guess again! The following recipe gives you the green light for enjoying finger-lickinโ sauce-dippinโ chicken tenders. Bonus: you can use the coconut-flake โbreadingโ for fish, too, and the Asian chili sauce is a great dip to have on hand. For extra flavor zing, serve them with Sweet Asian Chili Sauce (recipe follows).
Ingredients List
FOR THE CHICKEN TENDERS
- Ghee or coconut oil, for frying
- 2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1ยฝ lbs (about 15) chicken tenderloins
FOR THE SWEET ASIAN CHILI SAUCE
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup granular erythritol
- 2 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp Sambal Oelek chili paste (or 1Tbsp chili oil)
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
Some emerging research suggests that erythritol might increase the risk of blood clots, but more studies are needed to confirm this potential link. Whether you decide to use erythritol or not, remember that all sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, and your keto diet should primarily focus on nutritious whole foods.ย Learn more:ย Erythritol Explored: Weighing the Pros and Cons.
Instructions
- Chicken Tenders: In a medium pot, warm enoughย ghee to coat the bottom by 1/4 inch over medium heat until hot (about 365ยฐF, if you have a thermometer, or hot enough to make a coconut flake sizzle, if tossed in, but not quickly burn).
- In a bowl, mix together the baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.ย
- In another bowl, add the lightly beaten eggs.ย
- In a third bowl combine the coconut flakes and almond flour.ย
- Roll each chicken piece in the baking powder mixture to coat. Then dip each into the eggs to coat. Finally, dip them in the coconut mixture and set aside on a plate. Repeat the process for each tender if you want a thick coating.ย
- Line a plate with paper towel. Cooking in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, gently add the chicken, one piece at a time, to the hot ghee and cook for 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through and golden, about 4 minutes.ย
- Sweet Asian Chili Sauce: In a nonstick saucepan, combine the water, rice vinegar, erythritol, garlic powder, soy sauce, and chili paste. Cook over medium heat while stirring to dissolve the erythritol. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the xanthan gum until combined.
Yum!
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Love this recipe!