Pretzel Chicken Fingers with Spicy Honey Mustard Sauce—a total hit with my family, loved by everyone! Crispy baked chicken coated in salty pretzel crumbs—that’s the magic trick. But the real star? My spicy honey mustard cheese sauce. It’s melty cheddar mixed with mustard, honey, and a kick of cayenne for heat. Perfect for game-day munching or even as a fun family dinner.
And just like that, Monday night football is back. Sundays, Mondays, even Thursdays in September and October always bring back special memories for me. Any night there’s a game on, my dad and brothers have it playing in the background. For me, that’s pure comfort—it takes me right back to those cozy fall nights back home in Cleveland.
On game nights, my dad would usually whip up his homemade chicken fingers, or every once in a blue moon, we’d order takeout—BW3’s boneless wings and baskets of fries.
I loved those easy, no-fuss meals. They made game nights even more fun!
So excited to have these fall nights back! A few weeks ago, my mom mentioned craving boneless wings for dinner, and that’s when this recipe came to mind. She adores breaded chicken without the bones.
My version? A delicious pretzel crust and a spicy honey mustard cheese sauce that gets everyone hyped. Serve them as-is for an appetizer, or turn them into a full meal with a big fall salad, rice, or homemade fries.
YUM!
Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Prep the coating
Grab a bunch of salted pretzel twists and blitz them into crumbs using a food processor. Mix in flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Adding a little flour helps the coating stick to the chicken.
Step 2: Coat the chicken
Beat an egg in a shallow bowl, and pour the pretzel crumbs into another. Toss the chicken in the egg, then coat each piece in those salty pretzel crumbs.
I like using chicken tenders—no cutting needed, they’re ready to go!
Bake them with a drizzle of olive oil until crispy, about 20 minutes.
Step 3: Make the cheese sauce
Melt butter and whisk in flour, then stir in milk and melty cheddar. Finish it off with Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch of cayenne, stirring until everything’s warm and gooey.
Nothing fancy, but so good—spicy, sweet, tangy, and cheesy all at once. Oslo (who loves hot sauce) is obsessed with this dip. If you’re not into heat, ketchup works too!
Step 4: Serve
Plate up the chicken with that warm cheese sauce. Drizzle it on, dip the chicken in it—or hey, do both! It’s too good to resist.
Can’t wait to make these all fall long. My family’s already hooked!