These pretzel chicken bites are a dish that my kids get genuinely excited about, and that alone makes it a win in my book. I love creating a recipe that becomes a staple in our house that gets asked for over and over. The bite-sized pieces and crunchy pretzel coating make them perfect for everything from birthday parties to game day spreads, and honestly, any gathering where easy, crowd-pleasing food is a must.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love These Pretzel Chicken Bites:
- Who doesn’t love a kid-friendly family dinner that is quick and easy to throw together?
- They pair perfectly with all kinds of dipping sauces. See below for some suggestions.
- Double the recipe for a casual dinner with friends, after-school snacks, or entertaining on game day or a party all year long.
- Add these to salads, protein bowls, and so many more fun ways to enjoy them.
- The crunchy, salty pretzel coating gives a crispy perfection that is completely irresistible.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breast provides lean, juicy bites, though chicken thighs work just as well for extra richness.
- Spices: Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder make a simple yet delicious spice mix. You can add your favorite spices, or I have suggestions below.
- Arrowroot Powder: Arrowroot powder is the perfect coating for golden-brown perfection. You can also use tapioca starch.
- Pretzels Twists: Crushed into crumbs, they form a crunchy, salty coating with a classic pretzel flavor. You can also use panko bread crumbs if you prefer.
- Eggs: Help bind the coating to the chicken so it sticks evenly.
- Honey: Used in the dipping sauce and in the coating to add a touch of sweetness that balances the salty, umami flavors.
- Cooking Spray: A nonstick spray is used to prevent the chicken pieces from sticking to the air fryer basket and to help them turn golden brown.
- Mayonnaise: You can use store-bought mayo or make homemade mayo; it’s simple and delicious.
- Mustards: Yellow mustard brings a classic tang and mild acidity to the sauce, while the dijon mustard adds depth and a sharp mustard flavor.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need:
- Food Processor
- Air Fryer
- Two Shallow Bowls
- Small Serving Bowl
Roll Away
As an alternative to the food processor, place pretzel pieces in a large ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Crush the pretzels finely but not to dust, because a little texture gives the best crunch.
How to Make These Pretzel Chicken Bites:
- Place the pretzel twists in a food processor and pulse until they reach a breadcrumb consistency. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
- Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and generously season with spices. Add in the arrowroot powder and toss to ensure it’s all well coated.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, and mustard.
- Working in batches, add pieces of chicken to the egg mixture, then use a fork to flip them to ensure they are evenly coated before transferring them to the pretzel crumbs. Dredge the chicken, ensuring each piece is well coated all over. Use your hands to firmly press the crushed pretzels into the chicken so they stick. Transfer the coated chicken pieces to a plate, then repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken pieces, then generously spray them with cooking spray. Flip all the chicken pieces halfway through cooking, then spray with additional cooking spray. The chicken is done cooking when it is golden brown.
- While the chicken is cooking, stir together the honey mustard dipping sauce.
- Serve the pretzel chicken bites with the honey mustard sauce on the side for dipping, or drizzle it over the chicken.
Make some room
Don’t overcrowd the chicken in the air fryer. Spacing in a single layer is key to the ultimate crispiness.
How to Modify:
- If you prefer, you can thinly cut the chicken into chicken cutlets or chicken fingers.
- Make it spicy by adding cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or chili powder to the spice mix.
- Add a cheesy flavor by mixing a little grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast into the pretzel crumbs.
- Try a different pretzel style, like honey wheat or garlic parmesan.
- Use a different combination of mustards; try spicy brown mustard, whole-grain mustard, or only one type of mustard instead of two.
Dietary Customizations:
- Vegan/Vegetarian: Instead of egg, use milk for the binder, and try cubed tofu in place of the chicken.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free pretzel with incredible results; no one will be able to tell the difference.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy these chicken bites on a salad, in a wrap, or on their own as a main dish. Try one of these salads to add the chicken to:
Honey Mustard Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Salad
Orange, Avocado and Candied Pistachio Salad
BLT Cauliflower Salad with Ranch Dressing
Add them to a pasta dish like Spinach and Mushroom Pasta or Truffle Mushroom Pasta.
Try different dips like ketchup, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or this delicious Dijonaisse Sauce
Common Questions:
Yes! You can bread the chicken a few hours in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Cook just before serving for the best texture.
Yes, just use gluten-free pretzels, and you’ll have delicious gluten-free pretzel chicken bites.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Absolutely! Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 425 degrees F. You can also place them on a wire rack to help with circulation. Spray generously with cooking spray. Bake chicken for 18–22 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden, crispy, and cooked through.
More Delicious Appetizers You Will Love:
If you make these Pretzel Chicken Bites, let me know in the comments section below. I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram. I love seeing your photos!
Pretzel Chicken Bites with Honey Mustard Dip
Ingredients
Pretzel Chicken Bites
- 2 large chicken breasts
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ garlic powder
- ¼ cup arrow root powder
- 3 cups salted pretzels twists
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- Cooking spray
Honey Mustard Dip
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Place the pretzel twists in a food processor and pulse until they are mostly broken into breadcrumbs. Transfer to a shallow bowl
- Cut the chicken breasts into small bite sized pieces approximately 1 inch in size. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and generously season in salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add in the arrowroot powder and toss to ensure it’s all well coated.
- In a bowl whisk together the eggs, honey and mustard.
- Working in batches add 5-6 pieces of chicken to the egg mixture and use a fork to flip to ensure the pieces are coated all over before transferring to the pretzel breadcrumb bowl. Dredge the chicken ensuring each piece is well coated all over. Use your hands to firmly press the pretzel breadcrumbs into the chicken so they stick. Transfer the coated chicken pieces to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes add the chicken pieces and generously spray them all with cooking spray. Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping all of the chicken pieces over half way through cooking and spraying with additional cooking spray. The chicken is done cooking when it is golden brown in color.
- While the chicken is cooking in a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, honey, yellow mustard and dijon mustard.
- Serve the pretzel popcorn chicken with the honey mustard sauce on the side for dipping or drizzle it over the chicken
Tried This Recipe?
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