INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb frozen bread dough, thawed according to instructions
• ¼ cup baked baking soda (see note)
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
• Sesame seeds, to top, to taste
• Large grain salt, to top, to taste
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced as thin as possible
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup dijon mustard
• ½ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 6-8 slices provolone cheese, cut into halves

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Divide the bread dough into 6 pieces, depending on how large you'd like your rolls to be. Shape into cylinders and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 20-30 minutes, or until nearly doubled in size.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the baked baking soda with 4 cups very hot water. Stir to dissolve. Carefully dip the rolls, one at a time, into the baking solution for 30 seconds, and then place back onto the prepared baking sheet. You may want to wear gloves to protect your hands from the heat and high pH level of the solution.
4. Beat the egg with a teaspoon of water and brush over the tops of the rolls. Using a sharp knife, score the tops, cutting down to the center of the dough. Sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds, to taste.
5. Bake rolls until browned on top and cooked through, about 22-25 minutes.
6. While you wait for the rolls to bake, heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the sliced chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and then cook, stirring often, until white and cooked through. This cooking time varies depending on the thickness of your slices, but it should take between 2-5 minutes.
7. Place the cooked chicken in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the mustard, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Pour the honey dijon mixture onto the chopped chicken and toss to coat.
8. When the pretzel rolls have finished baking, slice them and stuff them with the honey mustard chicken. Top with provolone cheese and place back into the oven until the cheese melts and begins to brown. Serve immediately.

Notes:
To make the baked baking soda, spread ½-1 cup of baking soda on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for an hour. The baked baking soda produces a more authentic pretzel crust without having to use lye. If you don't want to bake your baking soda first and don't mind a slightly lighter exterior, regular baking soda will work-- just increase the amount used to ⅓ cup baking soda.