Pretzel-Cornflake Chicken Tenders with Hot Honey Mustard Sauce

Crispy, golden chicken tenders coated in a crunchy mix of pretzels and cornflakes, marinated in pickle juice for extra-juicy flavor, and served with a sweet-spicy hot honey mustard sauce that’s perfect for dipping or drizzling.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings Servings

Calories 1170kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

CHICKEN TENDERS

2 Pounds Boneless Chicken Tenders
1 Cup Pickle Juice
Salt & Pepper
2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3 Eggs beaten
1 ½ Cups Pretzel Crumbs
1 ½ Cups Cornflake Crumbs
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Cup Avocado Oil for frying

HOT HONEY MUSTARD SAUCE

½ Cup Mayo
¼ Cup Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Grainy Mustard
4 Tablespoons Honey
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
½ Teaspoon Cayenne
½ Teaspoon Chili Flakes
½ Lemon juiced
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the chicken tenders in a bowl and pour the pickle juice over them. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours) in the fridge. Drain and pat dry, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Use a food processor to blitz the pretzels into fine crumbs and the cornflakes into coarse crumbs separately. Set aside.
Set up a dredging station with three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with the pretzel and cornflake crumbs. Season each bowl with salt and pepper. Add paprika and a small dash of Dijon mustard to the eggs, whisking until smooth.
Working one chicken tender at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then coat thoroughly in the pretzel-cornflake crumbs, pressing gently so the coating sticks. Place on a lined baking sheet and set aside.
Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, shallow-fry the chicken tenders until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a lined baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes, covering loosely with foil at first, then uncovering for the last few minutes to keep the coating extra crispy.
While the chicken bakes, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve the chicken hot with the hot honey mustard sauce on the side, or drizzle it over the tenders for extra flavor. Season with salt & pepper. Serve and enjoy!

Video

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