Description
Pretzel Crusted Chicken is a flavorful and crispy dish featuring boneless chicken breasts coated in crushed salted pretzels and seasoned flour, then fried to golden perfection. Served with a creamy mustard cheddar sauce and garnished with fresh parsley, this recipe offers a wonderful blend of crunchy texture and cheesy, tangy sauce for an elevated comfort meal.
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 four thinner pieces. Place one piece between two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten using a mallet until the thickness is even.
- Make pretzel crumbs: Place salted pretzels in a food processor and pulse until mostly fine crumbs remain with a few larger chunks for texture.
- Mix dry coating: In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare wet coating: In a separate dish, whisk the egg thoroughly.
- Set pretzel coating: Place the crushed pretzels in a third dish for coating.
- Preheat oven and oil: Preheat the oven to its lowest setting to keep cooked chicken warm. Pour about 1/2 inch of neutral oil into a heavy skillet and heat to 350ºF.
- Coat the chicken: Dip each chicken piece first into the flour mixture, then the beaten egg, and finally into the pretzel crumbs, pressing the crumbs onto the surface to adhere well.
- Fry the chicken: Fry the chicken pieces in the hot oil without crowding the skillet, cooking each side for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer cooked pieces to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining pieces.
- Make the sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute continuously. Gradually whisk in milk and mustard, cooking until slightly thickened. Add shredded cheddar cheese gradually, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve: Plate the pretzel crusted chicken and generously spoon the mustard cheddar sauce over the top. Garnish with minced fresh parsley to finish.
Notes
- The sauce should remain slightly thick but not overly thickened to avoid graininess; cook it gently.
- Use a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, for frying to maintain consistent heat.
- Flattening the chicken ensures even cooking and a tender bite.
- If desired, substitute milk with a lactose-free alternative to adjust for lactose sensitivity.
- Discard any breading that falls off before frying for a crisp crust.
- Keep cooked chicken warm in the oven on the lowest setting so it stays hot without overcooking while frying remaining pieces.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
