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Pretzel Chicken with Mustard-Cheddar Sauce

Juicy chicken breasts coated in an ultra-crunchy crushed pretzel crust, pan-fried to perfection, and smothered in a rich, 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, Gastropub
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pretzel Chicken
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
  • 3 cups hard salted pretzels finely crushed
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tbsp milk or water
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil for pan-frying
Mustard-Cheddar Sauce
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1.25 cups whole milk warmed
  • 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp whole grain mustard optional
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • Meat Mallet
  • Food processor or rolling pin
  • 3 shallow dishes
  • Large heavy-bottomed skillet
  • Small Saucepan
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet.
  2. Set up a breading station with 3 shallow dishes: one with flour, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper; one with eggs and milk whisked together; and one with the crushed pretzels.
  3. Dredge each chicken breast first in the flour mixture, then dip completely into the egg wash, and finally press firmly into the crushed pretzels to coat well.
  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden, crispy, and cooked to 165°F internally. Let rest on a wire rack.
  5. For the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
  6. Gradually whisk in the warm milk. Continue cooking and whisking for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and bubbles.
  7. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the freshly grated cheddar cheese until melted and smooth. Stir in the mustards and season with salt and pepper.
  8. Serve the crispy pretzel chicken immediately, generously drizzled with the warm mustard-cheddar sauce.

Notes

Ensure you grate the cheddar cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded cheese to guarantee a smooth, non-grainy sauce. To bake instead of fry, bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes on a wire rack.