FRONT BURNER

Pretzels perfect chicken coating

Pretzel crusted chicken.
Pretzel crusted chicken.

— Here’s a recipe for the chicken favorites file.

The recipe uses crushed pretzels to create a crunchy coating for chicken breasts. The recipe is ideal for using up the dregs of a bag, but is good enough to warrant buying a new bag. The chicken gets extra flavor from the addition of mustard to the beaten egg that helps the coating adhere.

The dipping sauce, which combines mayonnaise, mustard and fresh dill, accompanies the chicken and is quite tasty on crisp-tender steamed green beans.

Pretzel Crusted Chicken

3 tablespoons all-purpose

flour 1 egg 3 tablespoons sweet mustard,

divided use (see notes) 2 handfuls pretzel twists1 large or 2 small boneless,

skinless chicken breasts Salt and ground black pepper 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

(see notes) 2 teaspoons finely chopped

fresh dill About 2 tablespoons vegetable

oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the flour in a wide, shallow dish. In another wide, shallow dish, lightly beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of the mustard.

Process the pretzels in a food processor (or place in azip-close plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin) to medium crumbs, no larger than the size of small peas, about 30 seconds.

Transfer the crushed pretzels to a third wide, shallow dish. Lineup the flour, egg, and pretzel bowls in that order.

If using a large chicken breast, place the chicken on a cutting board, and holding your knife parallel to the board, split the breast in half horizontally.

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Dredge both sides of the chickenin the flour, then the egg, and then the crushed pretzels, coating well and shaking off the excess.

Transfer to a plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mixthe remaining mustard with the mayonnaise, dill and a generous grind of black pepper; set aside.

Heat the oil in 8- to 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken. Cook until the first side is dark brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip andcook until the chicken is cooked through and the second side is golden-brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer chicken to oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees, about 5 minutes.

Serve with the dipping sauce.

Notes: I used the Kroger house brand, Private Selection Vermont Maple Mustard with very tasty results. I used mayonnaise with olive oil.

Makes 2 servings.

Recipe adapted from finecooking. com

Food, Pages 39 on 11/07/2012

Upcoming Events