Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Dijon Dill Dipping Sauce

Over dinner at our favorite restaurant recently, my husband told me that he'd be more interested in cooking with me if he had cool old music to listen to.  Something like Frank Sinatra.  Done and done.  We now own a Frank Sinatra collection.  He sat down at the dinner table with my fat folder of random recipes and started piling each one into categories.  After a few minutes of deliberation, he came up with a fantastic meal for us to make together for his family the following day. 

Heaven!  I love having him in the kitchen with me and this was a rare treat.  True to his style, he was cool and confident as he prepared salted bistro fries with minced bacon, pretzel crusted chicken with Dijon dill dipping sauce and creme brulee.  We also made Blood Maria's which is essentially a Bloody Mary with tequila instead of vodka...not my favorite...don't try it at home.

The chicken, however, was incredible.  Flavorful.  Juicy.  Crunchy.  And that sauce....oh the sauce.  He finely chopped the dill as deftly as a professional chef, adjusted flavors so it was just right and made sure the presentation of the whole thing was classy.  I stood in awe of it all as I had no idea he could do such things in the kitchen.  Fortunately, all it took to bring out the inner chef was a little Frank Sinatra...my new favorite CD.

Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Dijon Dill Dipping Sauce
Fine Cooking

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cups salted pretzels
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 lbs)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Put the flour in a wide, shallow bowl.  In another wide, shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs and 1 tablespoon of the mustard.  Process the pretzels in a food processor until a coarse flour forms, about 30 seconds.  Transfer the pretzel flour to a third wide, shallow bowl.  Line up the flour, egg, and pretzel bowls in that order.

Put the chicken on a cutting board, and holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, split each breast in half horizontally.  Sprinkle both sides of the chicken lightly with pepper.  Dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, then the egg, then the pretzel flour, coating well and shaking off the excess.  Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup mustard with the mayonnaise, dill, honey, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot but not smoking, add three of the chicken breast pieces.  Cool until the first side is medium/dark brown, about 2 minutes.  Carefully flip and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes more; if the chicken seems to be browning too fast, reduce the heat to medium.  Transfer to a clean cutting board and cover to keep warm.  Repeat with remaining chicken.

Slice the chicken on the diagonal.  Divide the slices among four dinner plates and serve with the dipping sauce. 

Note:  Reheat leftover chicken in the oven the next day and serve on buttered/toasted hoagie rolls with more of the dipping sauce.  Killer.