If you love crispy chicken and a good sweet and savory combo, this Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Spicy Honey Mustard is about to become a regular in your house. It’s crunchy, golden, and coated in a salty pretzel crust that pairs perfectly with a drizzle (or dunk) of honey mustard.

This pretzel crusted chicken recipe came about because I was craving something crispy, a little salty, and the perfect comfort food. It’s fun enough to be different, but simple enough to make it any night of the week. The pretzel coating gives the chicken that crunchy, golden exterior that feels a bit more fun than standard chicken cutlet and the honey mustard brings everything together.

This is honestly pretty straightforward once you get going. It’s really just good technique and paying attention so it doesn’t burn. Pretzels burn faster than breadcrumbs so stay near the stove! Want more crispy chicken? Try my Crispy Fried Chicken.

😍 Why You’ll Love This Pretzel Crusted Chicken

Ultra-crispy coating: Blended pretzels create a crunchy, golden crust that’s way more fun (and flavourful) than regular breadcrumbs.
Sweet-savory perfection: The salty pretzel crust paired with honey mustard is that unbeatable sweet-and-savory combo we all love.
Crowd-pleasing: This one’s a hit with both kids and adults, especially when served as cutlets, tenders, or sandwich-style.
Customizable: Fry it, air fry it, drizzle the sauce, or dip, this recipe adapts easily depending on how you want to serve it.

🥨 Ingredients To Make This Pretzel Crusted Chicken Recipe

Chicken breasts: thinly sliced and pounded so they cook quickly and evenly. Keeping them thin is key for juicy chicken with a crisp crust.
Salt & pepper: since the pretzels are already salted, a gentle hand here keeps the flavour balanced.
Eggs: act as the glue that helps the pretzel coating stick to the chicken so nothing falls off while frying.
Mustard: adds tang and depth to the egg mixture and ties in perfectly with the honey mustard flavour throughout the dish.
Honey: balances the mustard and complements the salty pretzel crust.
Salted pretzels: when pulsed into mostly fine crumbs, they create an ultra-crispy, crunchy coating with built-in seasoning.

Vegetable oil: a neutral oil with a higher smoke point helps the chicken cook evenly without overpowering the flavour.
Dijon mustard: forms the base of the honey mustard sauce, giving it that sharp, classic mustard bite.
Mayonnaise: makes the sauce creamy, rich, and smooth so it clings perfectly to the crispy chicken.
Yellow mustard: adds a familiar, slightly tangy flavour that rounds out the Dijon without overpowering it.
Lemon juice: brightens the sauce and cuts through the richness.
Red pepper flakes: great for adding a subtle kick that plays well with the honey’s sweetness.

✔ How To Make This Pretzel Crusted Chicken Recipe

Begin by preparing your chicken breasts and pound out into 1/4 inch pieces. Season lightly on each side with salt and pepper.

Pulse your pretzels in a blender and get at least 85% of the pretzels into a powder/breadcrumb form.

Grab 2 medium sized bowls. Add your breadcrumbs/pretzels to one, and prepare your egg mixture ingredients in the second. Mix well.

Get your chicken in the egg bath, coating on both sides, then dredge in the pretzel crust. Press down ensuring all pieces are stuck to the chicken and all sides are covered evenly. Repeat.

🤝 Sammy’s Tips for Pretzel Crusted Chicken

• You don’t want your chicken breasts too thick or they won’t fry the way we need them too, so the thinner the better!
• Don’t over salt your chicken! If you are using salted pretzels, the dish can become too salty pretty fast. When you season the chicken breasts at the beginning with salt and pepper, use a light hand.
• You don’t want the pretzel breadcrumbs to be too chunky as they can burn a lot easier.

To a large frying pan add you oil. You need enough oil that the chicken is almost covered entirely. Set to a medium/high heat, and once hot enough, shake off any excess crust from your chicken before adding them to your pan. You may need to work in batches to prevent the pan from becoming too crowded.

Fry on each side on medium/high heat for about 3 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2-3 minutes while you prep your hot honey mustard.

Grab a small bowl and mix together the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust accordingly. Pour dressing over the chicken and enjoy right away!

🗒 Variations

Make it spicy: add a pinch of cayenne or extra red pepper flakes to the pretzel crumbs, or stir a little hot sauce into the honey mustard dressing for a sweet-heat situation.
Extra crunchy coating: mix a small handful of slightly larger pretzel pieces into your finely ground crumbs for extra texture — just don’t overdo it, or they’ll burn.
Air fryer version: lightly spray the coated chicken with oil and air fry at 400°F (205°C), flipping halfway through. It won’t be quite as crispy, but it’s still super tasty.

🗒 Substitutions

Pretzels: use pretzel sticks, twists, or even pretzel crisps — just make sure they’re pulsed mostly fine so they don’t burn.
Mayo: swap the mayo for Greek yogurt or a dairy-free mayo alternative if needed. The sauce will be a bit lighter but still delicious.

🍴 Leftovers? Lucky You.

Store any leftover honey mustard pretzel chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the honey mustard sauce separate if possible.

🤔 FAQ’S

👩🏻‍🍳 Hungry For More?

If you loved this Pretzel Crusted Chicken recipe, then make sure to check out a few of my other chicken recipes you may also love:

• Crispy Fried Chicken
• Blackened Chicken Alfredo
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta
• Chicken Poblano Soup
• Lemon Chicken Orzo

💌 Let’s Stay Connected

Keep in touch with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest! If you do make this pretzel crusted chicken recipe (or any recipe of mine) don’t forget to leave a review.