Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Tenders

It has been such a busy week.

I’ve worked a double, went out of town for work a few times, and  spent a whole day at a computer editing a special story that needed fancy graphics.

Woo. Busy, busy, busy.

I finally had a chance to go grocery shopping this weekend, and now my kitchen is stocked and I’m ready to start cooking again!

While I have some delicious cookies baking in the oven, I decided I would share this recipe with you that I made last week. I kind of made it up on the fly, basing it off of a pretzel-crusted turkey tenderloin recipe I had in my Bisquik box. It turned out to be a hit with Rob and I! The pretzel pieces make the chicken so much more crispy than if you used regular flour or breadcrumbs. Have you ever tried making fried chicken? It can be tedious and grueling, and in the end your chicken can end up soggy instead of crispy. THIS recipe is different—it’s easy, crispy and super flavorful!

I made up a quick dipping sauce that combines the best of both worlds (the chicken tender & soft pretzel worlds, that is):

• 1/4 cup stone-ground mustard
• 2 TBS. honey
• 1 TBS. maple syrup

It’s basically a fancy take on honey mustard. I love stone-ground mustard, and I highly recommend it. It’s got more of a bite than regular mustard or Dijon. The little pebbles of mustard seed are an exciting taste sensation, too!

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Tenders

• 1.5 lbs. chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips or tenders
• 2 cups pretzel sticks, crushed into small pieces
• 2 TBS. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 4 TBS. vegetable oil

1. In large bowl, combine Dijon mustard, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Add chicken strips and toss to coat.
2. Crush pretzel sticks into small pieces by either using a mallet or a food processor. Dredge Dijon-chicken strips into pretzel pieces until well coated.
3. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders, one at a time. Cook 3-4 tenders at a time. Fry, 3-4 minutes until browned and then flip. Fry for 2-3 more minutes. Drain tenders on a plate with paper towels.4. Chicken is done when juices run clear and pretzel mixture is browned and crisp. Serve with mustard dipping sauce or ketchup!

This is a pretty creative twist on the boring ole chicken tender, so if you find yourself in a cooking rut—making the same stuff over and over again—try this recipe out!

-Leen