Description
Pretzel Crusted Chicken offers a delightful twist on traditional breaded chicken with crunchy salted pretzel crumbs and a creamy Dijon cheddar sauce. This crispy, flavorful dish is perfect for a cozy dinner and pairs wonderfully with a simple side salad or roasted vegetables.
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 in skillet)
- 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 two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound with a mallet until evenly flattened to an even thickness.
- Crush pretzels: Place the salted pretzels in a food processor and pulse until you achieve mostly fine crumbs with some larger chunks remaining.
- Mix dry coating: In a shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Whisk egg: In a separate shallow dish, beat the egg until smooth.
- Prepare pretzel crumbs: Place the crushed pretzels in a third shallow dish for breading.
- Heat oil: Add about 1/2 inch of neutral oil to a heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) and heat to approximately 350ºF.
- Bread the chicken: Working one piece at a time, coat chicken completely in the flour mixture, dip into the beaten egg, then press into the pretzel crumbs to cover fully.
- Fry the chicken: Carefully place the chicken pieces into the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking tray and keep warm in the oven set to its lowest temperature. Repeat with remaining pieces.
- Make the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute while continuously stirring. Gradually whisk in the milk and Dijon mustard. Cook for several minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Add shredded cheddar cheese in handfuls, whisking until melted completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Plate the pretzel crusted chicken and generously spoon the Dijon cheddar sauce over the top. Garnish with minced fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- The cheese sauce should be thick but not overly thick; avoid cooking it too long to prevent graininess.
- Use fresh pretzels for best texture in the crust, not stale ones.
- Maintain oil temperature at 350ºF to achieve a crispy crust without absorbing excess oil.
- To keep chicken warm and crispy while frying in batches, place cooked pieces on a cooling rack in the oven set to lowest heat.
- You can substitute milk with a lactose-free alternative to make this dish low lactose compatible.
- Nutrition estimates account for about 1/4 cup oil absorption; actual values may vary depending on brands and techniques.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
