Description
Crispy pretzel-crusted chicken breasts served with a creamy mustard cheddar sauce, perfect for a satisfying and flavorful 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 4 thinner pieces. Place each piece between plastic wrap and flatten evenly with a mallet.
- Make pretzel crumbs: Process pretzels in a food processor until mostly fine crumbs with a few larger pieces remaining.
- Mix dry coating: Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
- Prepare egg wash: Whisk the egg in a separate dish.
- Prepare pretzel coating: Place crushed pretzels in a third dish.
- Preheat oven: Set oven to lowest setting to keep cooked chicken warm.
- Heat oil: Pour about 1/2 inch neutral oil in a heavy skillet and heat to 350ºF.
- Coat the chicken: Dip each piece into flour mixture, then egg wash, then pretzel crumbs, pressing crumbs into chicken as needed.
- Fry the chicken: Fry chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack over a baking tray and keep warm in oven.
- Make the sauce: Melt butter in saucepan, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute. Add milk and mustard, cook until slightly thickened. Gradually add cheese, whisking until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Plate chicken, spoon mustard cheddar sauce over, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- The sauce should not be cooked too long to avoid graininess; it will be slightly thick but not very thick.
- Use a cast iron skillet if possible for even oil heating.
- Work in batches when frying to avoid overcrowding and uneven cooking.
- Butterflying and pounding the chicken ensures even cooking time.
- The nutrition information estimates 1/4 cup oil absorption, which may be higher than actual.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
