Description
Pretzel chicken with mustard cheddar sauce turns boring weeknight dinners into a crispy, flavor-packed adventure. Crunchy pretzel-coated chicken meets a tangy, cheesy sauce that makes your taste buds dance with pure comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coating:
- 2 cups crushed pretzels
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Gather three shallow bowls: fill one with ½ cup flour, another with 2 large eggs whisked with ¼ cup milk, and the last with 2 cups crushed pretzels. Sprinkle salt and pepper across your 4 chicken breasts.
- Thoroughly coat each chicken breast by first rolling it in flour, then dunking completely into egg mixture, and finally pressing it firmly into crushed pretzels to ensure maximum pretzel coverage.
- Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat to medium-high, around 375°F. Carefully place pretzel-coated chicken breasts into hot oil and cook for exactly 4-5 minutes per side until exterior turns deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Quickly whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 60 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Gradually stream 1 cup milk into butter-flour mixture, whisking steadily. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken for approximately 2-3 minutes until it coats the back of your spoon.
- Remove sauce from heat and incorporate 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Season with pinches of salt and pepper, stirring until cheese melts completely.
- Transfer crispy chicken to serving plates and generously drizzle warm mustard-cheddar sauce directly over the top. Serve immediately while everything remains hot and crunchy.
Notes
- Always crush pretzels finely to create an even, crispy coating that sticks perfectly to the chicken.
- Test the oil temperature before adding chicken by dropping a pretzel crumb into the pan, which should sizzle immediately.
- Pat chicken breasts dry before seasoning to help the flour and pretzel coating adhere more effectively.
- When making the sauce, whisk constantly to prevent lumps and ensure a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 615 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Cholesterol: 155 mg