Description
Pretzel Crusted Chicken is a delicious dish featuring tender chicken breasts coated in crunchy pretzel crumbs and fried to golden perfection, served with a creamy Dijon cheddar sauce. This recipe combines crispy texture and savory flavors, perfect for a comforting main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Pretzel Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8-10 oz each)
- 4 oz salted pretzels
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg
- Neutral oil for frying (about 1/2 inch depth)
- Fresh parsley for serving
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Butterfly each chicken breast to create 4 thinner pieces. Place each piece between plastic wrap and flatten to an even thickness using a mallet.
- Make pretzel crumbs: Place salted pretzels in a food processor and pulse until mostly fine crumbs with a few larger chunks remain.
- Prepare breading stations: In a shallow dish, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. In a second dish, whisk the egg. Place pretzel crumbs in a third dish.
- Heat oil: Preheat oven to the lowest setting. Pour about 1/2 inch of neutral oil into a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) and heat to around 350ºF.
- Bread the chicken: Working one piece at a time, coat chicken completely in the flour mixture, then dip into the egg, and finally press into pretzel crumbs ensuring a good coating.
- Fry the chicken: Fry chicken pieces in hot oil without overcrowding. Cook about 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove and place on a cooling rack over a baking tray. Keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Prepare the sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and Dijon mustard. Cook until slightly thickened, then add cheddar cheese a handful at a time, whisking until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Plate the pretzel crusted chicken and top with the mustard cheddar sauce. Garnish with minced fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- The sauce should not be cooked too long to prevent it from becoming grainy; it is meant to be slightly thick but creamy.
- Use a cast iron skillet for even frying heat.
- Butterflying and flattening the chicken ensures even cooking.
- This recipe yields 4 servings, perfect for a family meal.
- Nutrition estimates include oil absorption but do not account for breading loss.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece of chicken with sauce
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
