Pretzel crusted chicken feels halfway between dinner and a very good bar snack. The chicken stays tender, the pretzel coating gets salty and crisp, and the honey mustard situation makes the whole thing feel much more exciting than standard breaded chicken ever planned to be.
Why This Pretzel Crusted Chicken Works
Crispy, fun and different from regular breaded chicken. The pretzel coating gives the tenders more crunch and a saltier, more snackable flavor than standard breadcrumbs.
The honey mustard pulls double duty. Using it in the coating and saving some for dipping makes the whole recipe taste more cohesive and a lot more interesting.
Air fryer and oven instructions. That gives readers flexibility without changing the personality of the recipe.
Pretzel Crusted Chicken Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make this crispy chicken. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Dijon Mustard: The key for this honey mustard sauce recipe is to use an excellent dijon mustard, I like to use Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard, but you’re welcome to choose any that you’d like.
- Honey: You can pick up any honey at your grocery store or farmer’s market. I like to get unfiltered honey because it is a little less processed. You can also swap this out for hot honey.
- Mayonnaise: I use regular mayo for this recipe, I haven’t tried making the sauce with light mayo, but I am sure it will turn out perfectly!
- Lemon Juice: This recipe calls for freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can also use 100% lemon juice that you can find in your produce department if you can’t find whole fresh lemons.
- Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper adds the perfect touch of spice to your honey mustard sauce. This is based on personal preference; if you’d like it to be a bit spicier, add more cayenne pepper. If not, only add a pinch to your sauce.
- Kosher Salt: When adding salt to this recipe, remember that your pretzels will have salt on them too. If you’re using extra salty pretzels, only use a little salt.
- Buttermilk: Instead of using egg in this recipe, I like to use buttermilk. The milk combined with the pretzel bits makes for the perfect crust.
- Chicken Breast Tenders: I like to get chicken breast tenders, but if your store only has chicken breast, please cut them into smaller pieces so they will cook evenly.
- Pretzels: For this easy recipe, I used sourdough pretzels, but if you’d like, you can use flavored pretzels.
How to Make Pretzel Crusted Chicken (Step-by-Step)
Follow these simple steps to get flavorful, crispy chicken every time.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
- Make the honey mustard. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the djion mustard, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt. Divide the mixture in half.
- Add the buttermilk to one half of the mix, then place chicken in the bowl and toss to coat. Sit aside to marinate while you prepare everything else.
- Pulse the pretzels in a food processor until they create a fine, crumb like consistency. Alternatively, put the hard pretzels in a large sealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs. Transfer the pretzel crumbs to a shallow dish.
- Coat each piece of chicken, one at a time, in the honey mustard sauce and then the crushed pretzels. Make sure the raw chicken is well coated. Place the prepared chicken on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Air fry the chicken tenders for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.
Chef Tips and Tricks
I’ve made this pretzel crusted chicken in my test kitchen to be able to bring you the best tips and tricks.
- Trim the fat. Before you start tossing your chicken, I recommend always cutting the fat off your chicken and pounding your chicken until it becomes a specific thickness. Try your best to cut into similar sized tenders. This is extra important if you’re using chicken breasts.
- Pat chicken dry. For the crispiest chicken, I like to pat my chicken tenders dry with a paper towel before tossing it in the mixture to get coated.
- Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken once it is finished air frying. You want to make sure that the temperature in the thickest part of your chicken tender is at least 165 degrees.
- Give the tenders space. Whether using the air fryer or oven, crowding them too much will make it harder for the coating to crisp.
What to Serve with Pretzel Crusted Chicken
This chicken tastes great cut up over a salad or tucked into wraps. Of course, you can always eat them on their own with any of these sides:
Storage and Freezing
Storage: While Pretzel Crusted Chicken can be reheated, it is best served as soon as it comes out of the air fryer. However, any leftover chicken tenders can be stored in an airtight container or bag for two to three days in the refrigerator.
Freezing: You can also freeze any leftover pretzel chicken that you may have. This makes a super quick and easy lunch or dinner. Just toss your leftovers into a freezer-safe bag, and then you can keep them in the freezer for about three months.
FAQs
Honey mustard pretzel pieces work especially well here because they reinforce the flavor profile of the sauce and coating.
Use fine crumbs, do not overcrowd the pan or basket, and reheat in the oven or air fryer instead of the microwave.
Yes. This recipe works in both the air fryer and the oven.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Chicken for dinner doesn’t have to be boring! Here are some of our favorite chicken dinners that are always winners.
Pretzel Crusted Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 pound chicken breast tenders , about 12 pieces
- 1 1/2 cups honey mustard pretzel pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the 2/3 cup dijon mustard, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt. Divide the mixture in half, reserving half for a dipping sauce.
- In the other half, stir in the1/4 cup buttermilk to the mixture, then dredge the 1 pound chicken breast tenders in the bowl and toss to coat. Sit aside to marinate while you prepare everything else.
- Using a food processor, pulse the 1 1/2 cups honey mustard pretzel pieces until they create a fine crumb like consistency. Alternatively, put the pretzels in a large sealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush into crumbs. Transfer the pretzel crumbs to a shallow dish.
- Coat each chicken tender, one at a time, in the honey mustard sauce and then the ground pretzels. Make sure the chicken is well coated. Place the prepared chicken on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Air fry the chicken tenders for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165° F.
Oven instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
- Bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature has reached 165° F.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
The kids absolutely loved this one. I called them “pretzel chicken tenders” and they asked for seconds. The honey mustard sauce was amazing too!
We are obsessed with this pretzel chicken! The pretzels give the chicken the best crunch and flavor. I could eat this for dinner every night!
Such a delightful recipe! My kids loved these are were asking for more. I will have to put this on the dinner list for next week. 🙂
I love the pretzel coating with the honey mustard. The combo works so well together.
What a great way to use pretzels. Also a delicious way to make chicken more exciting too.