Coconut Crunch Chicken Sandwich

Hot, crispy and loaded with flavor, my coconut crunch chicken sandwich is a fun twist on my classic coconut crunch chicken strips recipe. Chicken breasts are marinated and then coated in shredded coconut before a quick fry, then piled up on brioche buns with pineapple slices and a cool, creamy coleslaw for this mouthwatering coconut crunch chicken sandwich recipe!

Coconut Crunch Chicken Becomes a Tasty Sandwich

In the early days of The Cozy Apron, I created a unique recipe for mouthwatering chicken strips called coconut crunch chicken strips.

They became a popular hit, one of our most visited recipes, and for good reason...

They're marinated strips of chicken breast that get an ultra crunchy coating of shredded coconut to perfectly prepare them for frying, resulting in a uniquely flavorful chicken strip accompanied by a creamy mango dipping sauce—so scrumptious!

For years now, I've been toying with the idea for a recipe for a sandwich inspired by those strips, and this coconut crunch chicken sandwich recipe is the yummy result!

Packed with sweet-savory and mildly spicy flavor, this fried chicken sandwich is piled up with a hot, crispy coconut crunch chicken breast, a couple of pineapple slices, plus a cool and creamy coleslaw made with a splash of pineapple juice.

It's the perfect fried chicken sandwich to keep in your recipe tin when you're craving a sandwich that's deliciously unique and ultra comforting, and even better than what you'll find at your local burger or sandwich joint!

My Recipe for Coconut Crunch Chicken Sandwich

For this fried chicken sandwich, I'm keeping the flavors a little bit bold, with both sweet and savory notes.

For the chicken breast marinade, I keep it simple with good olive oil, granulated onion, salt and black pepper, and a very small pinch of curry powder for basic savory seasoning.

And for the coating, I dip each marinated chicken breast into flour, then egg wash lightly, then press into unsweetened shredded coconut (I love the thickly shredded, organic flake coconut from Trader Joe’s) to create that crispy outer coating once the chicken breasts are fried.

I also love the idea of a slightly “tropical” twist to this chicken sandwich, and with the coconut coating, pineapple pairs really well...

When building these sammies, I like to add a couple of rings of pineapple for sweet tanginess, and then pile up some creamy coleslaw jazzed up with a bit of the pineapple juice, and slather on a “kicky” sriracha mayo to balance out that sweetness.

Served with Maui onion potato chips (so good!), this coconut crunch chicken sandwich is ready to enjoy!

Here's a glance at my coconut crunch chicken sandwich recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I marinate my chicken breasts in seasoning.
2. While the chicken marinates, I prepare my coleslaw and keep that cold in the fridge and ready.
3. When ready to fry my coconut crunch chicken, I heat my oil up, dip each breast lightly in flour, then the whisked eggs, then give a press into the shredded coconut.
4. I then fry each chicken breast for a few minutes, until golden-brown and cooked through.
5. To build the coconut crunch chicken sandwiches, I add some sriracha mayo to the top and bottom buns, place some leafy greens on the bottom bun, then add my coconut crunch chicken breast, a couple of pineapple slices, then top that with coleslaw and the top bun, and serve!

Recipe

Coconut Crunch Chicken Sandwich

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This coconut crunch chicken sandwich is piled onto a soft brioche bun with slices of pineapple plus cool, creamy coleslaw and sriracha mayo!

Category: Sandwich
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 4

Nutrition Info: 875 calories (per sandwich)

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 16 minutes
Total time: 56 minutes

Chicken Sandwich Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to create 4 smaller cutlets
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• ¾ cup (scant) flour
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 2 cups thickly-shredded, unsweetened coconut
• Peanut oil, for frying
• 4 brioche buns, toasted
• ½ cup mayo
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• ½ to 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (or desired amount)
• Lettuce, for buns
• 8 pineapple ring slices (good quality, organic canned, juice reserved)

Creamy Cole Slaw Ingredients:

• 3 cups organic, pre-packaged coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage)
• ¼ cup mayo
• 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
• 1 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your sandwich ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Place the 4 chicken breast cutlets into a bowl, and sprinkle of a generous pinch or two of salt and pepper, plus the granulated onion and curry powder. Allow these to marinate while you prep your coleslaw.
3. Next, gather and prep all of your coleslaw ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
4. To prepare the coleslaw, add all ingredients to bowl, and toss together to coat. Keep the coleslaw chilled in the fridge, until ready to use.
5. To prepare the chicken, dredge each breast in the flour, then dip into the whisked eggs, then press firmly into the shredded coconut. Place the coconut coated chicken breasts onto a plate to hold.
6. Add enough peanut oil to a large skillet for shallow frying (about ¾ to 1 inch), and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the coconut crunch chicken breasts in batches for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until a deep golden-brown and cooked through. Place onto wire rack to drain, sprinkle with salt, and repeat until all chicken is fried.
7. Next, add your mayo to a bowl, and add the garlic and the sriracha sauce, whisking to combine.
8. To build your coconut crunch chicken sandwich, spread some of the sriracha mayo onto both top and bottom buns, then add some lettuce to the bottom bun. Add a coconut crunch chicken breast, then a slice or two of pineapple, then some coleslaw, and cover with top bun.
9. Enjoy with Hawaiian Maui onion kettle chips, or your desired side.

Tips & Tidbits for my Coconut Crunch Chicken Sandwich recipe:

• Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts do the trick: When making chicken sandwiches, I typically always use only two skinless, boneless chicken breasts, and cut them horizontally (or lengthwise) in half to create 4 smaller cutlets. The chicken is then a bit more manageable to eat and stack with the other ingredients in this sandwich, instead of being too large once coated in the coconut and fried.
• Good quality, canned pineapple slices: Because I’m incorporating some of the juice from the canned pineapple into my slaw, I’m opting for good quality, organic, canned pineapple rings for this recipe. Just brush them with a touch of honey before grilling, and save a bit of the juice to add to the slaw for a bit of sweetness!
• Brioche buns for tender texture and sweet flavor: While you can use any type of buns that you prefer for these sandwiches, I love brioche buns here for their tender, pillowy texture and slightly sweet flavor—they work really well to tie things together!
• What to serve with the fried chicken sandwiches: A terrific and easy side to these sandwiches is sweet maui onion flavored kettle chips—they're so flavorful and perfect with these!

Craving more crispy and cozy chicken recipes? Check out these Potato Chip Chicken Strips, these Tortilla Crunch Chicken Strips, this Spicy Chicken Sandwich, this Crispy Chicken Wrap!