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Pretzel Chicken with Mustard Cheddar Sauce

A comforting dish where crispy pretzel-coated chicken is paired with a creamy mustard cheddar sauce, perfect for family dinners and quick weeknight meals.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 400
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 4 pieces Boneless, skinless chicken breasts Pounded to an even thickness
  • 2 cups Pretzel crumbs Pulsed from salted soft or hard pretzels
  • 1/2 cups All-purpose flour For dredging
  • 2 large Eggs Whisked, to bind the coating
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil or melted butter For browning
  • 1 cup Sharp cheddar cheese Freshly grated for flavor
  • 1/4 cups Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cups Whole-grain mustard
  • 1/2 cups Milk or half-and-half For the sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • to taste Salt and pepper For seasoning
  • for garnish Fresh parsley or chives
Substitutions
  • Gluten-free pretzels and gluten-free flour For gluten-free option
  • Nutritional yeast and dairy-free cheddar For dairy-free option
  • Cooking spray Use instead of butter for lower fat option

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) if baking, or heat a skillet over medium-high heat if pan-frying.
  2. Prepare the pretzel crumbs by pulsing pretzels in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Mix in a pinch of smoked paprika and garlic powder.
  3. Set up a dredging station: place flour in one dish, beaten eggs in another, and pretzel crumbs in a third.
  4. Pat chicken dry, season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, dip in egg, and press into pretzel crumbs until coated.
Cooking
  1. For baking: place chicken on a parchment-lined sheet, lightly brush with olive oil, and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
  2. For pan-frying: heat oil in the skillet and cook for 4–6 minutes per side, then finish in the oven if needed.
  3. While the chicken cooks, make the mustard cheddar sauce by whisking Dijon, whole-grain mustard, milk, and shredded cheese over low heat until creamy.
Serving
  1. Serve chicken hot, spooning the warm mustard-cheddar sauce over each piece.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F oven. Freezing is possible for breaded chicken without sauce for up to 2 months.