Pretzel Chicken Fingers

One of the reasons I love this entree so much is that the kids love them as much as we do so I don’t have to make my toddlers something extra.  The pretzel coating makes the outside extra crunchy, while the chicken stays juicy and tender inside.  I’m a big fan of all things sweet and salty, so I pair these pretzel chicken fingers with some easy, semi-homemade honey mustard for dipping.

2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Strips

Pretzels sticks, coarsely crushed* (enough to make about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)

 1 cup Flour

2 Eggs, whisked + 1 tbsp water

Peanut Oil, for frying

Trim chicken of any fat.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Set up your breading station.  You need a bowl of the flour, a bowl with the egg wash, and a bowl with the crushed pretzels.  Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, then dip in the egg wash, then coat with pretzels.

Fill a large non-stick pan with about 1/3 inch oil to 350 degrees (or medium).  You want the oil to pop but not be splattering everywhere.  It helps if your pan has fairly high sides.  Once hot, begin frying chicken for several minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.  

Don’t overcrowd the pan or your oil temp will come down and you won’t get that nice golden brown color.  Fry in batches as needed.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and allow to cool 1-2 minutes before serving.

For the honey mustard, I used equal parts (about 1/3 cup each) honey and mustard.  Yellow mustard or dijon both work well depending on your taste preference.  The dijon makes the dipping sauce more of a spicy sweet.

*You can crush your pretzel sticks in a food processor with just a few pulses or just put them in a Ziploc bag and pound away.


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