Easy Pretzel Chicken with Cheddar Sauce

This is the weeknight dinner that wins the empty-plate award at our house: juicy chicken cutlets in a super crunchy pretzel crust, slid onto plates with a warm, melty cheddar sauce that tastes like a stadium pretzel fell in love with your favorite chicken tenders. It’s salty, toasty, cozy, and fast. Like… 35 minutes, tops, if you’re not chatting on the phone while you cook (guilty).

My husband has a thing for anything “bar food adjacent,” and the first time I made this, he did that quiet head nod after the first bite. You know the one. The sauce got a little too thick because I wandered off to flip a load of laundry—added a splash of milk and boom, silky again. Now it’s our “hey, it’s Tuesday and everyone’s cranky” dinner. I keep pretzels in the pantry like a responsible adult who intends to snack, but really… it’s for this.

How to Make It

Start by smashing pretzels, which is surprisingly therapeutic. I toss them in a bag and let the rolling pin do its thing—some fine crumbs, some chunky bits for texture. Pound chicken just a little so it cooks evenly (two pieces of parchment or plastic wrap so you’re not chasing it around the counter). Season it—it matters here because pretzels are salty, but the chicken needs its own moment.

Set up three bowls: flour, beaten eggs, pretzel crumbs. Dip-dip-dip. Press those crumbs on like you mean it. Let the coated chicken hang out on a rack for a few minutes so the crust doesn’t bail on you in the pan.

Heat a slick of oil in a skillet until it shimmers, then lay the chicken in and don’t fidget. Flip when golden and crisp, then finish in a hot oven if the pieces are thick. Or just air fry the whole thing if that’s your vibe.

While the chicken does its thing, make the cheddar sauce: butter + flour, whisk for a minute, add warm-ish milk slowly, whisk like you’re getting paid by the circle, and when it bubbles, cut the heat and stir in a mountain of shredded sharp cheddar. A spoon of Dijon and a pinch of paprika wake it up. If it gets too thick, splash more milk. If it’s too thin, let it simmer one extra minute. No panic cooking here.

Slice the chicken, spoon that sunshiney cheese river on top, and try not to burn your mouth because you will want to dive right in.

✔Ingredient Notes

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– Chicken cutlets or thin-sliced breasts: Quick-cooking and juicy. If yours are thick, just butterfly them or give them a couple thwacks with the mallet.
– Pretzels: Any shape works. Sticks, twists, gluten-free—just crush to a sandy-but-chunky mix for max crunch.
– Flour: Helps the egg stick. Gluten-free blend works in a pinch; don’t skip this step unless you like patchy crust.
– Eggs: The glue. If you’re short, a splash of milk in the egg mixture stretches it.
– Oil: Neutral, high-heat (avocado, canola). Butter burns too fast—learned that the smokey way.
– Sharp cheddar: The sharper, the better. Pre-shredded is fine, but fresh-grated melts silkier.
– Milk: Whole milk makes it lush; 2% is okay; splash of cream if you’re feeling fancy.
– Butter + flour (for roux): One minute of whisking to cook the flour, or you’ll taste “paste.” Been there.
– Dijon mustard: Tiny spoon = big flavor. Yellow works too; skip if you’re mustard-averse, but it’s the secret.
– Paprika/garlic powder: Optional, but they give pretzel-crust vibes a little warmth and depth.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Crush 4 cups pretzels into fine-plus-chunky crumbs; set up bowls with 1/2 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and the crumbs.
2. Pound 1.5–2 lb chicken cutlets to even thickness; season both sides with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika/garlic powder.
3. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in eggs, then press into pretzel crumbs; rest coated pieces on a rack 5 minutes.
4. Heat 2–3 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high; pan-fry chicken 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden; transfer to 400°F oven 5–8 minutes if needed to finish.
5. Make cheddar sauce: melt 2 tbsp butter, whisk in 2 tbsp flour 1 minute; slowly add 1.5 cups milk; simmer to thicken; off heat stir in 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar + 1 tsp Dijon; season to taste.
6. Serve chicken hot with a generous drizzle of cheddar sauce; garnish with chives or extra crushed pretzels if you’re extra.

What to Serve It With

– Roasted broccoli or green beans (they like the extra cheese drip).
– Crunchy slaw with apple and lemon—cuts the richness in the best way.
– Simple salad + pickles for that pub-plate energy.
– Fries or potato wedges because we are who we are.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Let the breaded chicken rest before cooking—this keeps the coating from sliding off.
– Don’t crank the heat to high; you’ll burn the pretzels before the chicken cooks.
– Warm the milk a bit for the sauce so it thickens smooth and quick.
– If the sauce breaks or feels grainy, take it off heat and whisk in a splash more milk.
– Air fryer lovers: 400°F for 8–10 minutes, flip halfway—no oil spray needed beyond a quick mist.

✔Storage Tips

Leftovers head into the fridge in separate containers: chicken in one, sauce in another. The crust stays crispier that way. Reheat the chicken in the oven or air fryer so it re-crunches (375°F for 6–8 minutes). Sauce loosens right back up with a splash of milk on low heat. Cold chicken dipped in cold cheddar sauce at 10 a.m.? Honestly delightful. Breakfast of champions and no judgment.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Chicken thighs: Yes, boneless/skinless work great—cook a smidge longer.
– Gluten-free: Use GF pretzels and a 1:1 GF flour blend; sauce is naturally GF if you swap roux for 1 tsp cornstarch slurry.
– Spicy: Add cayenne to the pretzel crumbs and a few dashes of hot sauce to the cheese.
– No Dijon: Try a pinch of dry mustard or skip entirely and bump the salt/paprika.
– Different cheese: White cheddar, Colby Jack, or a cheddar–Monterey blend melt nicely; avoid super-aged cheddar (can get oily).
– Baked only: Skip skillet—bake at 425°F on a rack for 14–18 minutes. Spray lightly with oil for color.
– Honey ↔ sugar: A tiny drizzle of honey in the sauce is weirdly perfect; or leave it savory.
– Tamari ↔ soy sauce: Not typical here, but a few drops in the sauce adds depth if you’re missing Dijon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Pretzel Chicken with Cheddar Sauce

Crunchy, oven-baked pretzel-crusted chicken topped with a silky sharp cheddar sauce. A family-friendly weeknight dinner that comes together fast with pantry staples.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 2 cup salted pretzels crushed to fine crumbs
• ▢ 0.5 cup all-purpose flour for dredging
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt for crumb mixture
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon black pepper for crumb mixture
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder for crumb mixture
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 2 large eggs beaten
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard whisked into eggs
• ▢ 2 tablespoon neutral oil for brushing or spraying before baking
• ▢ 2 tablespoon unsalted butter for cheddar sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour for cheddar sauce roux
• ▢ 1.5 cup whole milk warm
• ▢ 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded about 8 ounces
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon ground mustard for cheddar sauce
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder for cheddar sauce
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt to taste for sauce
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon black pepper to taste for sauce
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon hot sauce optional, for sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped optional garnish

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Lightly oil the rack.
• Pulse pretzels in a food processor to fine crumbs (some coarse bits are okay). Transfer to a shallow dish.
• Stir paprika, 1.0 teaspoon garlic powder, 0.5 teaspoon onion powder, 1.0 teaspoon salt, and 0.5 teaspoon pepper into the pretzel crumbs.
• Place 0.5 cup flour in a shallow dish. In another dish, whisk eggs with Dijon and 1.0 tablespoon water.
• Pound chicken to an even thickness, about 0.75 inch. Pat dry.
• Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then press firmly into pretzel crumbs to coat all sides.
• Arrange coated chicken on the prepared rack. Brush or spray lightly with neutral oil.
• Bake until golden and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes.
• Make the cheddar sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in 2.0 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute.
• Slowly whisk in warm milk. Simmer, whisking, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheddar by handfuls until smooth. Season with ground mustard, 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder, salt, pepper, and hot sauce if using. Thin with a splash of milk if needed.
• Serve chicken topped with warm cheddar sauce and garnish with parsley.

Notes

Air fryer option: Cook breaded chicken at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once. For a smoother sauce, remove from heat before adding cheese and whisk until melted. If the sauce thickens as it sits, whisk in a little warm milk to loosen.