Super easy baked pretzel chicken is made with a crunchy walnut and pretzel crust and served with homemade honey mustard dressing for dunking or drizzling.
Why this recipe works
This pretzel chicken recipe is pretty straightforward. You’ll mix together pretzels, walnuts, and bread crumbs in a food processor. Then, process the dressing ingredients as well. After that, it’s just dredge, dip, and bake! Think of it like oven fried chicken with a salty pretzel twist. The savory, crunchy breading pairs well against the juicy chicken and sweet honey mustard dressing.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CRUST – The crust is a combination of pretzels, panko breadcrumbs, and walnuts. If preferred, you can leave the nuts out and use all pretzels and panko.
CHICKEN – The coating will comfortably bread 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can easily use it over chicken tenders or strips as well. If you use a smaller cut of chicken, be sure to keep an eye on it in the oven as it will likely cook quicker.
DRESSING – Honey, water, and brown spicy mustard make up the savory-sweet dressing. Dijon mustard will also work.
How to Make Pretzel Chicken
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
- In a food processor pulse the pretzels and walnuts until coarsely ground. Place in a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs.
- Add the olive oil, mustard, honey, and water to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness (about 1/2″) between two sheets of waxed paper using a meat mallet.
- Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow dish. Place the flour and half of the pretzel mixture in two more separate shallow dishes. Add additional pretzel crumb mixture as needed.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour then dip into the dressing, allowing excess to drip off, and finally into the pretzel crumbs. Press gently on breasts to help the coating adhere. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 20 – 25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through (internal temperature 165 – 174 degrees F.).
- Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store any leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Leftover honey mustard dressing can be stored in a jar or air-tight container kept in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Reheat leftovers in a 300F oven until warmed through. It also heats up nicely in the air fryer using the reheat function. I wouldn’t recommend microwaving pretzel chicken as the breading gets soggy.
Chicken is considered safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F on an instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat for the most accurate reading.
Serving Suggestions
Serve pretzel chicken with a side of mashed potatoes, green beans, roasted carrots, corn, asparagus, or just about any vegetable you prefer. Drizzle or dunk in the homemade money mustard dressing and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- 2 1/2 cups pretzels
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup brown spicy mustard or Dijon
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup flour
Things You’ll Need
- Large skillet
- Food processor
- Meat mallet
- Baking sheet
Before You Begin
- If preferred, you can leave the nuts out of the breading. Simply use more pretzels.
- The coating will comfortably bread 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can easily use it over chicken tenders or strips as well. If you use a smaller cut of chicken, be sure to keep an eye on it in the oven as it will likely cook quicker.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
- In a food processor pulse the pretzels and walnuts until coarsely ground. Place in a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs.
- Add the olive oil, mustard, honey, and water to the food processor and pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness (about 1/2″) between two sheets of waxed paper using a meat mallet.
- Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow dish. Place the flour and half of the pretzel mixture in two more separate shallow dishes. Add additional pretzel crumb mixture as needed.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour then dip into the dressing, allowing excess to drip off, and finally into the pretzel crumbs. Press gently on breasts to help the coating adhere. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 20 – 25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through (internal temperature 165 – 174 degrees F.).
- Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Chicken is considered safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F on an instant-read thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat for the most accurate reading.
- Store any leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Leftover honey mustard dressing can be stored in a jar or air-tight container kept in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a 300F oven until warmed through. It also heats up nicely in the air fryer using the reheat function. I wouldn’t recommend microwaving pretzel chicken as the breading gets soggy.
