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Easy Bavarian Pretzel Chicken Tenders: Best Cozy Recipe

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These crunchy, juicy chicken tenders are coated with crushed Bavarian-style pretzels for a unique, malty flavor. Perfect for cozy evenings, they come together in under 30 minutes and pair wonderfully with honey mustard or beer cheese dip.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds (about 680g) fresh chicken tenders
  • 4 large Bavarian-style soft pretzels (about 8 ounces or 225g total)
  • 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • Cooking spray or oil (avocado oil for baking, vegetable or canola for frying)
  • Optional for dipping: honey mustard sauce (1/4 cup honey + 1/4 cup Dijon mustard + 1 tablespoon mayonnaise) or beer cheese dip

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). If frying, heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy skillet to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Crush the pretzels: If using soft Bavarian pretzels, let them dry for an hour. Break into pieces and pulse in a food processor until you have a mix of fine crumbs and small chunks (about 2 cups). Alternatively, crush in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.
  3. Toast the pretzel crumbs (optional but recommended): Spread on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Let cool completely.
  4. Set up dredging station: In bowl 1, combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. In bowl 2, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and Dijon mustard. In bowl 3, place cooled crushed pretzels.
  5. Prepare chicken: Pat chicken tenders dry with paper towels. If uneven, pound to 1/2-inch thickness.
  6. Coat chicken: Dredge each tender in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg wash (let excess drip), then press into pretzel crumbs until fully coated. Use one hand for dry, one for wet. Place on a plate or baking sheet.
  7. Cook: For baking, place on a wire rack over a baking sheet, spray or brush with oil, and bake 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C). For frying, fry in batches 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through; drain on paper towels.
  8. Rest and serve: Let cooked tenders rest on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Notes

Don’t over-crush the pretzels—leave some chunks for crunch. Season the flour, not the pretzels, to avoid over-salting. Let coated tenders rest 5-10 minutes before cooking to help coating adhere. Use a meat thermometer to avoid overcooking. For extra crunch, double-coat by repeating the egg wash and pretzel step.

Nutrition

Keywords: pretzel chicken tenders, Bavarian pretzel chicken, easy chicken tenders, cozy chicken recipe, pretzel crusted chicken

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/easy-bavarian-pretzel-chicken-tenders-best-cozy-recipe/