Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

It's hard for me to believe but I have been a food blogger for nearly 2 1/2 years already!  I've learned a lot about the food blogging world since first starting this journey.  I really had absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into when I wrote my very first blog back in 2011.

Writing my blog continues to be a source of joy in my life but that's not to say that there aren't moments that it stresses me out too.  Everything that is worth doing will cause some amount of aggravation and I think that's even truer for anything that involves a computer.  Despite the frustration that I feel sometimes, I still LOVE my job as a food blogger.

When I sit down to write a blog I don't usually have a target audience in mind.  I tend to believe that my blog will only reach anyone my immediate circle: my mom, my brother, my close friends.  After 2 1/2 years, you would think that it wouldn't take me by COMPLETE surprise when I get a comment or an email from someone who finds my blog by chance. 

I am even more astounded when I get an email from another website or food blogger that has visited my blog.  My recipes have recently been featured on Foodista.com, mytaste.com and EasyItalianRecipes.org.  That is astounding to me because I never contacted any of these websites, they actually found me!

I am honored to be a part of the food blogging world and to know that there are actually people out there who are reading my blog and making my recipes.  Who would have guessed that I would ever have become a food blogger?  Not me, but I wouldn't trade it for any other job. 

People ask me all the time how long I am going to continue to publish my food blog and the answer I usually give them is; "When I run out of recipes, I'll know it's time to quit."  With the access to unlimited recipes on the internet these days, I don't know if I'll ever actually RUN OUT of new recipes to try.  I found this recipe for Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken on www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com.

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken

2 cups panko crumbs

2 cups pretzel crumbs

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey 

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 + 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour, plus more if needed

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly grease with oil a large, non-stick baking sheet or roasting pan. If you don't have a non-stick pan line a regular pan with foil and lightly grease with oil.
In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

In a food processor pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs.

 
Add the oil, mustard, honey, water and vinegar to the food processor and pulse until smooth.

Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.
Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness using a mallet. Season well with salt and pepper.








Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl or dish,















put the flour on a large plate and






 





add half the pretzel mixture to a large, shallow bowl or dish (add the remaining half pretzel crumbs to the dish as needed).







Working one at a time and using tongs dredge the chicken in the flour then into the dressing allowing excess to drip off then into the pretzel crumbs patting them on if needed. Place on greased baking sheet.

Bake 16 - 25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through (internal temperature 165 - 174 degrees F.).

Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving.

Slice.

Serve with the remaining honey mustard dressing.

Ciao!

Ingredients:

2 cups panko crumbs

2 cups pretzel crumbs*

1/2 cup neutral tasting olive oil

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup honey (Iike clover or orange blossom)

1/4 cup bottled water

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 + 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup flour, plus more if needed

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly grease with oil a large, non-stick baking sheet or roasting pan. If you don't have a non-stick pan line a regular pan with parchment and lightly grease with oil.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat toast the panko crumbs until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
3. In a food processor pulse the pretzels until coarsely ground (small crumbs with some small pretzel pieces) then add them to a medium bowl and mix with the panko crumbs. Wipe the crumbs out of the food processor.
4. Add the oil, mustard, honey, water and vinegar to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the flavor to suit your own tastes by adding more mustard or honey.
6. Pound the chicken breasts out to an even thickness using a mallet. Season well with salt and pepper.
Set up a dredging station:
7. Pour half of the dressing into a large shallow bowl or dish, put the flour on a large plate and add half the pretzel mixture to a large, shallow bowl or dish (add the remaining half pretzel crumbs to the dish as needed).
8. Working one at a time and using tongs dredge the chicken in the flour then into the dressing allowing excess to drip off then into the pretzel crumbs patting them on if needed. Place on greased baking sheet.
9. Bake 16 - 25 minutes depending on their thickness/size or until cooked through (internal temperature 165 - 174 degrees F.).
10. Let the chicken sit 5 minutes before serving with the remaining honey mustard dressing.

Read more at http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/honey-mustard-pretzel-chicken/#mB0Cyl4SWz4RQjib.99