Go Back

Crispy Pretzel Chicken with Creamy Mustard-Cheddar Sauce

Juicy chicken coated in a crunchy pretzel crust, baked to perfection, and served with a rich, tangy, and gooey homemade mustard-cheddar cheese sauce.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pretzel Chicken
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1.5 cups hard pretzels crushed into coarse crumbs
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs large, beaten
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika optional
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
Mustard-Cheddar Sauce
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper optional

Equipment

  • Large Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
  • 3 Shallow Dishes (for breading)
  • Medium saucepan
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a wire rack.
  2. Crush pretzels into coarse crumbs and place in a shallow dish.
  3. Set up breading stations: flour mixture (flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper), beaten eggs, and pretzel crumbs.
  4. Dredge chicken in flour, then egg, then pretzel crumbs, pressing to coat.
  5. Place breaded chicken on the wire rack, spray with oil, and bake for 18-22 minutes (flipping halfway) until cooked and crispy.
  6. While chicken bakes, melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour for 1 minute.
  7. Gradually whisk in milk until thickened. Reduce heat, stir in cheddar, Dijon, garlic powder, and cayenne until melted and smooth.
  8. Serve crispy chicken immediately, generously drizzled with warm mustard-cheddar sauce and garnished with parsley.

Notes

Pat chicken dry before breading for maximum crispiness. Adjust salt in pretzel coating based on the saltiness of your pretzels.