Crispy Pretzel Crusted Chicken
Crispy Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce is a delicious dinner that will be on your table in 30 minutes! Truly the perfect dinner for busy nights. Juicy chicken is lightly battered and coated in a mix of panko and pretzel crumbs and pan-fried to crispy perfection. It's great served with mashed potatoes and green beans, over a caesar salad, or on a sandwich with slaw. It's versatile, easy, and kid-approved! It'll be your new favorite weeknight go-to.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
Pretzel Crusted Chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (like crystal or tabasco)
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup pretzel crumbs*
- 1 tablespoon za’atar
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Canola oil, for frying
- Chopped parsley or chives, for garnish
Creamy Mustard Sauce
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
Instructions
- Mix the creamy mustard sauce: In a mixing bowl, stir together the mayo, honey, dijon, whole grain mustard, pickle juice, horseradish, and dill together until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prep the chicken. Butterfly the chicken breasts so that there are 4 chicken breast pieces of even thickness. If your chicken breasts are small, you can use a flat mallet to pound them into an even ½” thickness. Pat very dry all over with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Make the batter and breading. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, water, hot sauce, and dijon with a bit of salt and pepper until smooth. Pour the panko and pretzel crumbs into a separate shallow dish with the za’atar, sesame seeds, and some salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Bread the chicken. Dip the chicken in the flour and egg mixture until they’re well coated, shaking off any excess. Coat well in the panko/pretzel breadcrumbs and set on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Heat the oil. In a high-sided skillet or braiser, pour in enough canola oil to come halfway up the chicken–about 1/2-3/4 inches of oil in the skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, until the temperature reaches 350 F.
- Fry the chicken. Once the oil is hot, gently lower the chicken into the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan (it may be best to fry two at a time). Cook 3-4 minutes per side, or until the panko coating is golden brown & the chicken is cooked through. Once both sides are golden brown, transfer the fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Season with a good pinch of flaky salt while the chicken is still warm. Serve with mustard sauce, lemon wedges, and a sprinkling of parsley or chives.
Notes
*To make the pretzel crumbs, pulse pretzels in a food processor or lay them out in a sealed ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin until finely ground.
