Crispy Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Cheddar-Mustard Sauce is an easy delicious dinner that will be on your table in 30 minutes!
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This was absolutely delicious!! I cooked it this evening and I didn’t want it to end. It will definitely be a regular in our household. Many thanks for sharing this great recipe.
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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.
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.
Ingredient notes
- 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.
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. Don’t love cheese? Swap in this honey mustard sauce instead.
- Breading: Swap the pretzels for tortilla chips to make this tortilla chip crusted chicken. Or, 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 and 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.
What to serve with it
- More → the BEST side dishes to serve with chicken cutlets.
Erin’s wine pairings
- Prosecco or unoaked Chardonnay would pair nicely with this dish.
- If you would like to go the red route, I’d suggest a Pinot Noir, or other light bodied red. Avoid hard, oaky tannic reds and they can overwhelm the delicate flavors of the chicken.
More chicken recipes you’ll love!
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Full Recipe
Pretzel Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless )
- 1 5-ounce bag salted pretzels (about 3 cups )
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
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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. Don’t love cheese? Swap in this honey mustard sauce instead.
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Breading: Swap the pretzels for tortilla chips to make this tortilla chip crusted chicken. Or, you can use panko or seasoned breadcrumbs.
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Chicken Tenders: You can use chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts and dip your tenders into the cheese sauce.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2019. It was updated in 2023 to add new content. The pretzel chicken recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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