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This Extra Crunchy Gluten-free Pretzel Crusted Chicken recipe is total perfection, tender on the inside and totally crunchy on the outside.
Chicken is something we all eat a lot of, but even I will admit that I get bored of chicken from time to time. That's why I am really glad my family likes it when I play around with recipes. One thing that I always loved was pretzels. There is just something about their salty, crunchy goodness that I always drew me to them. Don't get me started on the soft ones. That's for another day.
Today I am talking about the super yummy crunchy pretzels and the fact that this gluten-free mama is happy that gluten-free pretzels have come a LONG way in the last several years. This means that I get to whip up things like these Extra Crunchy Gluten-free Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders whenever I want.
Who makes the best gluten-free pretzels?
There are actually many companies that make gluten-free pretzels, but a few of my favorites are actually totally grain-free, which makes me even happier. Don't worry, though; you can't tell the difference, and even the pickiest gluten pretzel lovers will still be eating these up.
- Fit Joy
- Savor Street
- Glutino also makes some gluten-free pretzels, just not my favorite.
- I recently saw Snyder's gluten-free pretzels at the store, but I haven't tried them yet.
Like I said there are a lot of company's getting in on the action but that just means more gluten-free pretzels for us to love.
This post is not sponsored by any of these companies.
Ingredients in Pretzel Crusted Chicken
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Water
- Gluten-free Pretzels
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Mustard
How to Make Pretzel Crusted Chicken
- Pretzels
In a food processor, pulse the gluten-free pretzels until they resemble bread crumbs. Once they are crushed, place them into a shallow dish with the spices and set them aside.
- Eggs
In a separate dish, whisk together the eggs and the water in a shallow dish and set aside.
- Chicken
Slice the chicken into desired shapes. You can either leave them as breasts or cut them into tenders if you prefer. I do recommend making sure the chicken is cut into even pieces so that way they cook evenly.
- Coat the chicken.
Dredge the chicken pieces into the egg wash and then into crushed pretzels making sure to coat them thoroughly. Unlike with other gluten-free flours, it's okay if these sit a minute, so go ahead and coat all the chicken before cooking.
- Cooking
You can either bake the chicken in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. You can also choose to cook it in a skillet if you want it even crispier.
Tips and Tricks
You can cook these however you prefer. I prefer these cooked in the skillet with a little bit of oil because it gets them even crispier than the oven.
If you find your breading isn't sticking, it can be a few things. Either your egg mixture got a little thin, not creating enough coating, which can happen depending on your eggs' size. Or you did not pulse the pretzels enough. You want them to resemble coarse bread crumbs. If you want even more sticking, you can dredge the chicken in some arrowroot starch before dipping in the eggs. I never find it necessary to do this.
Let's Get Saucy
When it comes to pretzels, you have to admit the delicious ones come with a sauce to dip those bad boys into. This is why of course, I'm giving you my super simple Honey Mustard Sauce. Because let's face it, pretzels and mustard are made for each other.
Don't like mustard? You can also whip up a quick batch of my Cheese Sauce For Veggies; it's delicious with these chicken tenders even though it says for veggies. Or you can be super simple and dip these into your favorite BBQ, ranch, or whatever sauce you like.
More Chicken Dinners to Love
Grilled Balsamic Bruschetta Chicken
Buffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole
Extra Crunchy Gluten-free Pretzel Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2-4 Pieces Bonless Skinless Chicken Breast cut into desired shapes
- 1 5 oz Bag Gluten-Free Pretzels
- 2 Large Eggs
- ½ C Water You can also use milk if desired if you don't care about dairy-free.
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ TSP Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Mustard
- Oil for cooking in a skillet
For the Honey Mustard Sauce
- ¼ C Mayonnaise
- ¼ C Honey
- 3 TBS Dijon Mustard
- 3 TBS Yellow or Brown Mustard
- ½ TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne Pptional if you want an extra kick.
Instructions
For the Sauce
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together into a small bowl and set aside.
For the Chicken
Prep the Ingredients
- Pulse the gluten-free pretzels in a food processor until they resemble course breadcrumbs. Place them into a shallow dish with the spices and set aside.
- In a separate shallow dish combine the eggs and water until they are combined and slightly fluffy.
- Prepare the chicken either by thinning out the breasts so they cook evenly or cutting them into tenders. If you wanted you could even cut them into nugget size. Just note size will vary the cooking time.
- Dredge the chicken into the egg and then into the pretzel crumbs to full coat and set aside.
Cooking in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the chicken on top. Make sure you space the chicken out allowing it to breath while it cooks which will help the pretzels stay crunchy.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes before flipping them and baking another 8-10 minutes on the other side.
In a Skillet
- In a skillet over medium heat, place enough oil so that it is about an inch deep.
- Once the oil is warm cook the chicken in batches, rotating until they reach an internal temerature of 165 degrees.
- Allow the chicken to drain off any excess oil on a plate lined with paper towels and enjoy them while they are warm.
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.