These baked pretzel-crusted chicken strips eat like a healthier, more kid-friendly German schnitzel. The cooling cucumber and celery salad comes together in minutes and adds a bit of crunch and freshness. If you would like to make this recipe gluten-free, you can substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free pretzels.
Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes
Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Strips
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
- 1/4 cup (47 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 2 cups (130 g) unsalted pretzels, finely crushed
- 3 tablespoons (65 g) low-fat sour cream
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 small English cucumber, very thinly sliced
- 3 celery stalks, very thinly sliced ​​on the bias
- 1/2 cup loosely packed bright green celery leaves
- 1/2 cup (50 g) red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (30 g) loosely packed small dill sprigs
- 4 teaspoons hot sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a baking rack inside the mold. Grease the rack with cooking spray.
Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into 1 x 4 inch (2.5 x 10 cm) strips. Pat the strips dry with kitchen paper.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the egg, dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of water. Place the crushed pretzels in a third shallow bowl.
Work with 2-3 chicken strips at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shake off any excess. Dip into the egg mixture, then coat with the crushed pretzels, pressing well to help the pretzels stick. Arrange the coated strips on the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F and browned. Season lightly with ¼ teaspoon salt and let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the salad. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vinegar, celery seed and sugar. Season with ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Add cucumber, celery and red onion and stir. Just before serving, stir in the celery and dill.
Serve the chicken strips with the cucumber salad and hot sauce.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: About 3 chicken strips and 1 cup salad
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 293; Total fat: 5g; Saturated fat: 1g; Monounsaturated fat: 1g; Polyunsaturated fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 121mg; Sodium: 458mg; Carbohydrate: 28g; Dietary fiber: 2g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 32g
Nutritional bonus: Vitamin D: 3%; Calcium: 8%; Iron: 16%; Potassium: 295mg; Vitamin A: 7%; Vitamin C: 11%
Originally published October 2020; Updated June 2026