Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted pretzels (I used pretzel sticks because I had them on hand, but
- regular will grind up better)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/8 cup buttermilk
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, at room temperature
- 2-3 cups oil (grapeseed, peanut, and canola oil all work well), for frying
Directions
-
Place pretzels in a food processor with the caraway seeds, cumin, and chile powder; pulse mixture until pretzels resemble course crumbs. Alternatively, you can place pretzels in a heavy-duty plastic bag and crush by hand, then mix in spices. Transfer pretzel mixture to a large plate. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and a few dashes salt and pepper.
-
Rinse chicken breasts in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice chicken into 1-2″ wide strips. Gently press each strip into the pretzel crumbs to coat, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg and buttermilk mixture and return to plate of pretzel crumbs. Repeat process for each chicken strip, lining them up in a single layer as you go; do not stack. Cover a clean plate with paper towels to set the chicken on after frying.
-
In a cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet, add just enough oil so that when you add the chicken, the oil comes half way up your thickest piece; oil will be about 3/4″ deep. Bring oil to 350°F over medium heat. Using tongs, place chicken into oil one piece at a time, leaving at least an inch between each piece so you have enough space to flip them. Fry for 5-7 minutes per side, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a steady temperature of about 300°–325,° until coating is a crisp golden brown. Season with salt and pepper while chicken is hot. Remove from pan and place on paper towels. Allow to cool.
-
If desired, serve chicken with honey, BBQ sauce, jalapeño cheese dip, or another favorite condiment.