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This pretzel crusted chicken takes crispy chicken to the next level. The crunchy pretzel coating adds incredible flavor and texture, making every bite extra delicious.
Why This Recipe Hits the Spot
The Crunch is Unreal: Crushed pretzels create an extra crispy, golden coating that perfectly contrasts the juicy chicken inside.
Big Flavor, Simple Ingredients: Just a handful of pantry spices and pretzels turn plain chicken into a dinner the whole family will love.
So Many Ways to Serve It: Dip it in honey mustard, slice it for salads, pile it on a sandwich, or serve it with fries or cheesy baked asparagus.
Pretzel Crusted Chicken Ingredients
Serve with dipping sauce: This pretzel chicken pairs perfectly with my homemade ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, or mustard BBQ sauce.
Use chicken tenders instead: Swap the chicken breasts for chicken tenders for easier prep and faster cooking.
Flavored Pretzels: You can swap what flavor of pretzel you use. You could try honey mustard, parmesan garlic, or even dill pickle!
Crushing Pretzels: If you don’t have a food processor, you can place your pretzels in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
How to Make Pretzel Crusted Chicken
The secret to crispy, golden pretzel crusted chicken is a thorough coating at every step. Be sure the pretzels fully cover the chicken so the crust stays sturdy and doesn’t fall apart as it cooks.
Prep Chicken: Cut 2 chicken breasts in half lengthwise, so you end up with 4 pieces. Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound it to an even ¼-inch thickness.
Pulse Pretzels: Place pretzels in a food processor and pulse until they are coarsely ground. Place the pretzel crumbs into a shallow dish.
Dredging Station: To a shallow dish, add flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together eggs and Dijon mustard.
Coat the Chicken: Dredge the cutlets, starting with the flour mixture. Coat them evenly. Next, dip the cutlets in the egg mixture, letting the excess egg drip back into the dish. Last, coat the chicken in the crushed pretzels, pressing the crumbs into the chicken to ensure they are evenly coated.
Fry: Heat enough oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the oil to 325-350ºF. You want the oil hot, but not so hot that it burns the pretzels before the chicken is cooked all the way through. Add 2 of the chicken cutlets, and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until they are golden brown and crispy.
Let Cool & Serve: Set cooked pretzel crusted chicken aside on a wire rack to drain the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. Serve with honey mustard sauce.
