Crispy Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Cheddar-Mustard Sauce is an easy delicious dinner that will be on your table in 30 minutes!
This is a recipe that I’ve been making for over ten years. And since I had no clue how to cook ten years ago, I’m going to come right out and say that I did not come up with the original recipe. It was created by my hero in the kitchen, Rachael Ray.
Rachael basically taught me how to cook. After graduating from college, my friends and I would make a point to get together every Wednesday night for dinner. We would take turns at each other’s houses and the one hosting that week would be in charge of cooking.
The rest of us would bring the wine.
Admittedly back in those days, we drank our fair share of “Two Buck Chuck.”
That was when Rachael Ray had her television series, 30 Minute Meals, and I would watch it religiously. I also owned (still own) all of her cookbooks. This Pretzel Crusted Chicken recipe came from either her show or one of those cookbooks.
Over the past ten years, I’ve put my own twist on that original recipe. And, I’m sharing that with you today.
The changes I’ve made to that original recipe are mainly to the cheese sauce. I swapped the spicy brown mustard for whole grain mustard. I love the way that the mustard seeds pop on your tongue when you eat them. I also spiced my cheese sauce up with some paprika and cayenne.
Table Of Contents
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Breasts – I used two boneless skinless chicken breasts, that I sliced and turned into cutlets. You can also use chicken tenders.
- Crushed Pretzels – These will be used to make a crispy coating for the chicken.
- Paprika & Cayenne Pepper
- Salt & Pepper
- Eggs
- Vegetable Oil & Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Or, another favorite cheese. Pepper jack, swiss and gruyere are also delicious!
- Mustard – I used a whole grain mustard, because I love the way the seeds pop on your tongue. But any mustard will work here.
- Fresh Parsley – This is optional, but adds nice color to your dish and a bit of freshness.
- Red Onion – This is also optional. But if you love the bite of onions, they’re delicious!
How to Make It
- Grind pretzels in a food processor to resemble coarse breadcrumbs.
- Heat oil in a large skillet (it should be about 1/4″ deep).
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and flatten with a meat mallet to 1/4″ thickness.
- Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Recipe Tips
The chicken’s internal temperature should register 165-degrees with an instant read meat thermometer. If you don’t have one, you can also check the chicken for doneness by cutting into it with a knife. It should no longer be pink inside and the juices should run clear.
Variations
- Cheese Sauce: Use pepper jack cheese for a nacho cheese sauce vibe. Or you could even use Swiss cheese instead of the sharp cheddar and season it with some thyme and black pepper.
- Breading: You can use panko or seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Chicken Tenders: You can use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts and dip your tenders into the cheese sauce.
How to Make Ahead & Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the chicken in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or heat it in your air fryer (this keeps it crispy). Store the cheese sauce separately, and reheat in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat.
Pretzel Crusted Chicken
Crispy Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Cheddar-Mustard Sauce is an easy delicious dinner that will be on your table in 30 minutes!
Instructions
Ingredients
- 2 boneless (skinless chicken breasts)
- 1 5-ounce bag salted pretzels
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 eggs
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley leaves (a generous handful, chopped)
- 1/4 small red onion (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Butterfly each of the chicken breasts, making a total of 4 thin chicken breasts. Then flatten with a mallet so that they are uniform in thickness, about 1/4″.
- Put the pretzels in a food processor and grind until fine. Put the crumbs in a shallow dish. Combine with paprika and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs with a splash of water.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet with a 1/4-inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- One at a time, coat each chicken breast in the egg and then the ground pretzels.
- Add the pretzel-coated chicken breasts to the hot oil. Cook in a single layer, in 2 batches if necessary, about 3 or 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the cheese, mustard, paprika and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve chicken breasts with a drizzle of cheddar-mustard sauce and a sprinkle of parsley and red onion.
