Since receiving a bag of Macadamia Nuts from Oh! Nuts last month, I’ve been having a blast using them in recipes. In the past, I haven’t often cooked with macadamia nuts. Being a southerner, pecans are always my go to nut.
But I’ve found macadamia nuts to be very versatile in the kitchen and I absolutely love their crunch and mild but buttery flavor. The macadamia nuts from Oh! Nuts are much fresher and better in quality than the ones that are available at my local grocery store.
So far I’ve used the macadamia nuts in muffins, pancakes, salads, and now as a coating for chicken tenders. These chicken tenders are baked, not fried, but the nutty, coconut crust will satisfy any cravings you have for fried foods.
Macadamia nuts and coconut are the perfect pair, and great for summertime since they have a tropical flair. Pair with a peachy pepper jelly sauce that is both sweet and a little spicy for a delicious summertime meal.
Coconut Macadamia Chicken Tenders
Ingredients
- 1.25 pounds chicken tenders
- ยพ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ยพ cup macadamia nuts
- ยฝ cup panko crumbs
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- ยผ cup milk
- Cooking spray
- ยฝ cup red pepper jelly
- ยฝ cup finely diced fresh peach
- 1 teaspoon Creole Mustard
- 2 teaspoons horseradish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ยบ and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Place macadamia nuts and coconut in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add panko crumbs and give the mixture a quick whirl to mix the panko in. Pour onto a plate.
- Place flour on a separate plate. Mix together egg and milk in a bowl.
- Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Coat lightly in flour, dip in egg mixture, and then roll in coconut mixture. Place on baking sheet and spray chicken with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center.
- In a small saucepan, combine pepper jelly, peaches, mustard, and horseradish. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
I have a coconut chicken recipe that I make all the time (it’s actually on the menu for dinner tonight) but I think I need to try using macadamia nuts too! And I have some leftover from another recipe. Perfect timing!
The macadamia nuts go so well with the chicken ๐