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.

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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.

Table of Contents

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

Creamy Dairy-free Bacon and Mushroom Chicken

Paleo Skillet Honey Sesame Chicken

Cherry Tomato Sauce with Chicken

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

Baked Paleo Chicken Tenders with Shredded Coconut

Dominique
Sweet, crunchy, almond flour based baked chicken tenders that are satisfying, Gluten-free, and Paleo!
5 from 8 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American, Paleo
Servings 6 servings
Calories 360 kcal

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
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