Becuase you know you want to crush something

You guys I made this chicken the other night and I forgot how much I love it.

It is from Food and Wine magazine years ago but I first saw it on Dinner a Love Story. And it is my second favorite chicken, closely behind my favorite. I tweaked the original recipe and technically I don’t even measure it any more. I just put the mustard, oil and vinegar (stay with me) in a bag, shake it up then add the chicken to coat. I have let it marinate overnight and just for a few minutes. Both times it worked out well. My boys like it as they really like pretzels. 

The pretzel chicken is also great for freezing, but if you use a smaller cut of chicken like a breast cut in half or tenderloins it is perfectly quick for a weeknight meal. Serve it with roasted green beans and thank me later.

Mustard-Baked Chicken with a Pretzel Crust

Heavily adapted from Food and Wine

1/2 pound hard pretzels, coarsely crushed (4 cups)

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons spicy brown or regular mustard

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Cooking spray (Pam)

•  Preheat the oven to 375°. In a food processor, pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground; you should have coarse chunks and fine crumbs. You can also put into a zip top bag and go wild with a rolling pin if you are having a bad day. Transfer to a large, shallow bowl.
• Add the oil, mustards, and vinegar to a plastic bag and shake to combine (you can also put it in a bowl and whisk it but then you have to clean a bowl and a whisk).
• Add the chicken the bag/bowl.
•  Dredge the chicken in the pretzel crumbs and transfer to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking.  Spray tops of chicken with cooking spray.
• Bake in the upper third of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes (for large chicken breasts) or 15 minutes for thinner cuts.
• You can turn the chicken once to ensure both sides are crispy but by using the rack they crisp up nicely either way.

You will note there is no salt added. I don’t add it as there is always plenty between the mustard and the pretzels. And you know I like to over-salt things.