Pretzel Crusted Chicken

pretzel coated chicken tenders with warm cheddar cheese sauce.

5 from 1 vote

This pretzel crusted chicken is the ultimate combination of crispy, crunchy coating and juicy, tender chicken. Instead of traditional breadcrumbs, crushed pretzels add an incredible texture and a slightly salty bite that pairs perfectly with the creamy cheddar dipping sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Krissy Allori

Equipment

Ingredients

For the chicken

2 cups pretzels
1 tablespoon fresh thyme large stems removed
1 pound chicken breasts or tenders
5 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 large egg

For the cheese sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar grated
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

Instructions

To cook the chicken

In a food processor, pulse the 2 cups pretzels with 1 tablespoon fresh thyme until you have a nice mixture of large and fine crumbs, about 15 pulses.
Place 1 pound chicken breasts or tenders in a plastic bag and flatten meat by pounding with a meat tenderizer or smashing it with a rolling pin until the meat is an even thickness. Cut the tenderized breasts into strips or bite sized pieces if you want to make nuggets. Note: If using tenders, there is no need to flatten or pound the meat. Using a new gallon sized plastic bag, add the chicken, the crushed pretzel mixture, and one tablespoon of the 5 tablespoons olive oil. Use your hands to squeeze and move the chicken around so that it gets coated with the fine crumbs. Transfer the coated chicken to a plate and place the remaining crumbs in a shallow dish.
Beat 1 large egg in a separate shallow dish.
In a large heavy bottom pan, heat the remaining four tablespoons of 5 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. Ensure oil is very hot before you add the chicken, but take care not to get it too hot otherwise it will smoke. Dip the coated chicken in the egg, then dip in the remaining crumb mixture, pressing the crumbs onto the egg mixture to coat well. Repeat for remaining chicken (you may have to cook in two batches depending on the size of your pan - you want to give them enough room to cook). Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, flip, then cook until other side is golden brown, another 3-4 minutes. Allow chicken to rest on paper towel lined plate to drain off any oil.

To make the cheese sauce

Meanwhile, make the cheddar sauce by melting the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, stir, and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to smell toasty. Whisk in the 1 cup milk and continue to whisk until a smooth gravy forms after about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in grated 1 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar and 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard.
If serving for dinner, broccoli is a great side dish and cheddar sauce can go on everything. If serving as game day grub, serve cheddar sauce on the side for dipping and be sure to double or triple the recipe because it will go fast!

Notes

Nutritional information is based on about 1/4 pound of chicken and a quarter of the cheese sauce per serving. If the amount of the cheese sauce is reduced, that will reduce the calculations.

Nutrition