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This is my healthier take on my viral Pretzel Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken and it is (in my opinion) just as good. Instead of breading and frying the chicken we’re going to bake it instead. This recipe also takes half the amount of time as my Pretzel Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken because we aren’t setting up a dredging station; aka breadcrumbs and eggs. This recipe also requires very few ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes!
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Reasons why you’ll love this recipe
Made all in one pan: Yes, one pan! This recipe could not be any easier and the best part about it is you only need to use and clean up one big pan!
Ready in about 30 minutes: I love making this recipe because it comes together in under 30 minutes, so it’s perfect when you want something delicious and quick! Not to mention it’s kid-approved, so that is a big win-win in our house.
Full of protein: If you are looking for a protein main dish, this one is a great option.
Filling & satisfying: If you love a fried pretzel dipped in a hot mustard sauce, you will love this recipe!
The leftovers taste great: I just pop any leftovers into my air fryer for 3-4 minutes and they taste great the next day!
Looking for more chicken dinner recipes?
If so, take a peak at some of my favs under Chicken Dinners.
- Sheet Pan Rosemary Chicken & Potatoes
- Baked Bang Bang Chicken
- French Onion Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Thighs with Jalapeno Popper Creamed Corn
- Lemon & Garlic Tahini Chicken and Rice
- One-Skillet Chicken Thighs with Roasted Tomatoes, Ricotta and Orzo
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make my Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken.
For the exact detailed measurements and ingredients, scroll to the bottom of this page to review my recipe card.
- Chicken breasts: you can also use chicken thighs here if that is your preference.
- Salted pretzels: you can also use unsalted pretzels here if thats all you have but I would recommend adding some coarse salt to them before adding to your chicken.
- Yellow Mustard: you can also use dijon mustard here but I prefer the classic mustard flavour in this recipe.
- Honey: you can use agave here if you can’t have honey, I would just recommend using a little less as agave has more of an overpowering flavour to it.
- A few spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and chilli flakes.
- Lemons: you can also use store-bought lemon juice if you don’t have fresh.
My tips before getting started
- I recommend letting the chicken breasts marinade in the dressing for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour to really allow the chicken to absorb all of that good flavour.
- I like to pan fry the chicken breasts for a couple minutes before adding them to the oven. This just allows the chicken to get a nice golden fry on the outside which gives the chicken more flavour and creates a better texture overall.
- I don’t like adding the pretzels to the chicken when I first put the chicken in the oven because I find the pretzels become burnt pretty quickly. I prefer to take the chicken out of the oven during the last 5 minutes of cooking, rub some mustard on the top to allow the pretzels to stick nicely and then add them on.
- Once your chicken breasts reach 165 degrees you can take it out of the oven and drizzle it with your homemade honey mustard sauce. I prefer to drizzle it on after it’s cooked, rather than bake the chicken with it. I find you can taste the sauce more when you pour it on at the end. When I have baked the chicken with the sauce on, it seeps into the chicken (which is still good) but I just prefer this dish to be more saucy!
Substitutions & FAQ’s
Do I need to pan fry the chicken first?
Technically you don’t, but I do recommend doing so as it increases the flavour of the chicken and gives it a really nice texture on the outside.
What should I cook on the side of my Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken?
Some of my favourites are: green beans, caesar salad or corn on the cob.
What temperature does my chicken need to reach for it to be safely cooked?
165 degrees F.
Do I need to add the chilli flakes or cayenne pepper to the honey mustard dressing?
If you don’t want the heat, just leave this out – it still tastes so good!
Do I need to use salted pretzels?
Preferably yes! If you don’t have salted on hand, just add some coarse salt to your unsalted pretzels.
Can I make this recipe without the pretzels?
You sure can. I would just follow the recipe up until you need to add the pretzels.
Storing & reheating
Add it to a glass container or tupperware and store in your fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply add to your air fryer or oven for 4-6 minutes or until heated throughout. Alternatively you can add these to your microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil , for frying the chicken
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1.5 cups salted pretzels, pulsed
Chicken Marinade:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes or cayenne pepper
Honey Mustard Sauce:
- 1/3 cup yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp chilli flakes or cayenne pepper, optional
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Set your oven to 400 ℉.
- Begin by preparing your chicken marinade. Slather the marinade on both sides of the chicken and let rest for a minimum of 30 minutes but preferably 1 hour.
- Pulse your pretzels in a blender and set aside.
- To an oven safe frying pan add your olive oil and set to medium/high heat.
- Fry your chicken breasts on each side for 2-3 minutes, just until they get a nice brown color on each side.
- Add your pan to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken reaches about 155°.**You want to take the chicken out to add the pretzels about 5 minutes before the chicken is done cooking.
- When you chicken has about 5 minutes left, take it out quickly and add a thin layer of yellow mustard with a cooking brush. This will allow the pretzels to stick better.
- Add your pretzels to the top of the chicken and get it back in the oven to finish cooking.
- While it finishes off in the oven, prepare your honey mustard sauce.
- Once your chicken reaches 165℉ take it out and drizzle it with that delicious honey mustard dressing.
- Serve right away!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was a huge hit. I cut up the chicken into strips. My only suggestion is to double the sauce – it is so good you’ll want to put it on EVERYTHING!!
I love this suggestion lol – fair enough, the sauce really is so good!! Thanks for the review Nicole!
Can I make this in the air fryer without pan frying before?
You sure can, it just wont be as crispy, but you certainly can!
Could I do chicken thighs??
Absolutely! I recommend pounding them out before hand, but yes, they will also work.
Loving your recipes! Could I marinate the chicken overnight to cut down on prep time the next day?
You sure can!
this was so delicious! very easy to follow and loved how quickly it came together. my chicken needed a little bit longer in the oven but otherwise no changes. i served it with very simple fresh green beans which i recommend because the honey mustard sauce would pretty much overpower any flavors on sides. will be making this again!
Hi Beth! Thank you for this wonderful review. I always serve it up with green beans too – nice choice!