Honey Sriracha Coconut Grilled Chicken Fingers

Hello and happy Friday to ya’! I hope you had a nice, shortened week!

Today is an especially exciting day because we find out if baby #2 is a boy or a girl! I have a pretty good idea of what we’ll see, but we’ll know for sure at 8am…eek!

An old wives’ tale says you can expect a boy if you’re craving salty foods, and a girl if you can’t get enough sweets, so I’m curious to know what the heck we’re having if I’m craving ALL OF THE TASTES. My appetite knows no bounds at the moment – salty, sweet, it’s all fair game. One craving I did not see coming though is for spicy foods. I have always considered myself a spice wimp – literally ordering meals from our favorite Thai restaurant at a “zero” spice level – but man have things changed over the past couple of months.

Asking for extra jalapeno slices in my Camarones al Ajillo? (Which I CANNOT get enough of.) Sure, why not? Eating spicy salsa and tortilla chips until it feels like my tongue is going to fall off? Can’t stop won’t stop. Shaking enough hot sauce onto egg casserole for Ben to ask if I’m the same girl he married? Bring it!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not ready to sign a waiver to eat the hottest wings on the menu at a local wing joint, which my brother did in college causing him to lose his hearing for two hours (men,) and I’m not sure if the craving for spice will last after this baby arrives, but I’m embracing it in the here and now, especially in Honey Sriracha Coconut Grilled Chicken Fingers with dipping sauce. Spicy-sweet Chinese take out meets the summer grill in this delicious tongue-tingling recipe!

Dinner does not get easier than this, which I know you can all appreciate right now. I have to all but drag myself inside at 5pm every night to make dinner, but with a recipe as easy as this, I can stay put in my porch chair for a little bit longer.

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All you need to do is marinate chicken breasts cut into strips (because isn’t finger food fun??) in a mixture of Sriracha, honey, lime juice, coconut milk and garlic then – wait for it – GRILL IT. That’s it! I suggest whipping up a batch of Coconut Rice (recipe in notes below) to pair with the chicken fingers as it cooks in the same amount of time as it takes to grill the chicken, and makes an excellent bed to soak up the spicy-sweet dipping sauce which is made of just Sriracha, honey, and coconut milk.

Speaking of, let’s talk about it. Coconut milk. I love using coconut milk in spicy recipes because it adds a cooling, tropical taste and flavor. I promise that your chicken fingers and rice will not taste like pina coladas. You’d need lots of sugar, pineapple, and rum to make that happen (mmmm rum…) Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yes, coconut milk. I tested this recipe with and without it in both the marinade and dipping sauce, and the coconut milk really added a special touch so don’t be afraid to give it a try. Alrighty – fire up the grill and let’s go!

Start by making the marinade – in a large bowl whisk together 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons lite coconut milk, 1/4 cup honey, 2-4 Tablespoons Sriracha (I used 2 for moderate heat,) 3 Tablespoons gluten-free reduced-sodium Tamari or soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons each fresh lime juice and oil, 2 smashed garlic cloves, and a partridge and a pear tree. Just checking to see if you were still reading!

Pour the marinade into a large Ziplock bag then add 4 chicken breasts that have been cut into strips (could also use 1-3/4lb store-bought chicken tenderloins,) season with lots of salt and pepper, then squish to combine. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-8 hours. This step is really easy to do ahead of time, ie prepare the marinade and slice the chicken then combine in the morning before heading off to work.

When it’s time to eat, heat your grill over medium-high heat for 10 minutes then remove the chicken fingers from the marinade and spray one side with nonstick spray. Turn the heat down to medium then place the chicken sprayed-side-down on the grates and grill for 1-2 minutes. Spray the tops then flip and grill for an additional minute or two. These cook really fast so don’t step away for too long!

As I mentioned, I like to serve these chicken fingers with Coconut Rice and grilled vegetables which cook right alongside the chicken. Just cut fresh zucchini into thick slices then spray or brush both sides with extra virgin olive oil and season with whatever you like (I always use my homemade seasoned salt.) Grill for 2-3 minutes a side over medium-high heat and you’ve got an easy, healthy side dish with no extra clean up!

Once the chicken fingers are  cooked through, place them onto a platter and watch your family go to town. I like to make a really easy, spicy-sweet and slightly tropical-tasting dipping sauce to dunk the fingers into + drizzle over the Coconut Rice. Just stir together equal amounts of Sriracha and honey then add coconut milk to taste. Easy and SO DELICIOUS!!! Enjoy!