BEST Pretzel Crusted Chicken Recipe (Only 9 Ingredients!) (2024)

Pretzel Crusted Chicken is crispy, juicy, and packed full of delicious flavors. We all know that chicken tenders are an all time favorite, whether you’re a kid or an adult. This nine ingredient pretzel chicken tender with honey mustard recipe will become your favorite fast go to meal.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can toss your chicken tenders in your air fryer, and in less than 20 minutes then, they’re ready to go.

With a short list of ingredients, you won’t have to leave the house for Burger King’s Pretzel Chicken Fries. You can easily make this recipe at home!

Pretzel Crusted Chicken Ingredients

• Dijon Mustard: The key for this honey mustard sauce recipe is to use an excellent dijon mustard, I like to use Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard, but you’re welcome to choose any that you’d like.
• Honey: You can pick up any honey at your grocery store or farmer’s market. I like to get unfiltered honey because it is a little less processed.
• Mayonnaise: I use regular mayo for this recipe, I haven’t tried making the sauce with light mayo, but I am sure it will turn out perfectly!
• Lemon Juice: This recipe calls for freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can also use 100% lemon juice that you can find in your produce department if you can’t find whole fresh lemons.
• Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper adds the perfect touch of spice to your honey mustard sauce. This is based on personal preference; if you’d like it to be a bit spicier, add more cayenne pepper. If not, only add a pinch to your sauce.
• Kosher Salt: When adding salt to this recipe, remember that your pretzels will have salt on them too. If you’re using extra salty pretzels, only use a little salt.
• Buttermilk: Instead of using egg in this recipe, I like to use buttermilk. The milk combined with the pretzel bits makes for the perfect crust.
• Chicken Breast Tenders: I like to get chicken breast tenders, but if your store only has chicken breast, please cut them into smaller pieces so they will cook evenly.
• Pretzels: For this easy recipe, I used sourdough pretzels, but if you’d like, you can use flavored pretzels.

How to Make Pretzel Crusted Chicken in an Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
2. Make the honey mustard. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the djion mustard, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt. Divide the mixture in half.
3. Add the buttermilk to one half of the mix, then place chicken in the bowl and toss to coat. Sit aside to marinate while you prepare everything else.
4. Pulse the pretzels in a food processor until they create a fine, crumb like consistency. Alternatively, put the hard pretzels in a large sealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs. Transfer the pretzel crumbs to a shallow dish.
5. Coat each piece of chicken, one at a time, in the honey mustard sauce and then the crushed pretzels. Make sure the raw chicken is well coated. Place the prepared chicken on a baking sheet and set aside.
6. Air fry the chicken tenders for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.

Honey Mustard Sauce

Homemade honey mustard is one of my favorite condiments, and it is so easy to make. You can make it with only a handful of ingredients, and you can use it on salads, for chicken tenders and fries, or as a dip for veggies.

This crispy pretzel crusted chicken recipe is super simple. You combine dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt in a bowl. And it keeps in your fridge for about two weeks.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have lemon juice, you can use white distilled vinegar. You can also add spicy or yellow mustard for a little different flavor.

Tips and Tricks

• Before you start tossing your chicken, I recommend always cutting the fat off your chicken and pounding your chicken until it becomes a specific thickness. Try your best to cut into similar sized tenders. This is extra important if you’re using chicken breasts.
• For the crispiest chicken, I like to pat my chicken tenders dry with a paper towel before tossing it in the mixture to get coated.
• Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your chicken once it is finished air frying. You want to make sure that the temperature in the thickest part of your chicken tender is at least 165 degrees.
• You can drizzle hot honey over your pretzel chicken before serving it for a little more sweetness and spice.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: While Pretzel Crusted Chicken can be reheated, it is best served as soon as it comes out of the air fryer. However, any leftover chicken tenders can be stored in an airtight container or bag for two to three days in the refrigerator.

Freezing: You can also freeze any leftover pretzel chicken that you may have. This makes a super quick and easy lunch or dinner. Just toss your leftovers into a freezer-safe bag, and then you can keep them in the freezer for about three months.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

• Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
• Crispy Sesame Chicken
• French Onion Chicken Bake
• Honey Mustard Chicken