Description
These Baked Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders are crispy, flavorful chicken strips coated in a seasoned flour and egg wash, then rolled in crushed pretzels and baked to golden perfection. They offer a crunchy twist on classic chicken tenders and pair wonderfully with your favorite dipping sauce, making them an ideal dinner or appetizer option.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded to ½ inch thickness)
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups pretzels (sticks or twists), crushed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
Dipping Sauce
- Sauce for dipping (of your choice)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a baking sheet lightly to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the chicken strips: Slice the pounded chicken breasts into 1 ½ inch wide strips for even cooking and easy serving.
- Set up coating stations: Place the crushed pretzels into a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and water. In a third bowl, mix the flour, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Coat the chicken: Toss each chicken strip first in the seasoned flour mixture, ensuring full coverage. Then dip it into the egg wash, coating all sides. Finally, roll the chicken strip in the crushed pretzels to fully coat it with the crunchy crust.
- Arrange and bake: Place the coated chicken strips in a single layer on the greased baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden brown.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
- These chicken tenders stay juicy inside thanks to the quick baking at high heat.
- The pretzel crust provides a unique texture and salty flavor that pairs well with a variety of dipping sauces like honey mustard, ranch, or spicy aioli.
- For an extra kick, add some cayenne pepper to the flour mixture.
- If you like a thicker crust, double coat the chicken by repeating the egg and pretzel steps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1095 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 44 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 57 g
- Cholesterol: 226 mg
