Crispy Chicken Ranch Salad Recipe
Romaine, Cucumbers, Roasted Tomatoes, Crispy Chicken, Bacon, Pickled Onions, Parmesan Cheese, drizzled with Hot Honey, with House ranch on the side
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Ingredients
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Salad Base
Crispy Chicken
Bacon & Roasted Tomatoes
Hot Honey
House Ranch (side)
Method
Pickled Red Onions (if making quickly)
- 1
Quick pickle
Place 1 cup thinly sliced red onion in a jar. Cover with 1/2 cup hot water, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes; refrigerate until ready. (If you already have pickled onions, skip this.)
Crispy Chicken
- 2
Prep and marinate
Slice each chicken breast horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets (or pound to 1/2-inch thickness). Combine 1 cup buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce in a bowl, add the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).
- 3
Dredge
In a shallow bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 tbs cornstarch, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off, then coat thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Let rest on a rack 5–10 minutes so coating sets.
- 4
Cook
Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet to a depth of about 1/4 inch and heat over medium-high until shimmering (about 350°F if using a thermometer). Fry chicken in batches 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and keep warm in a 200°F oven while finishing remaining pieces.
Bacon & Roasted Tomatoes
- 5
Cook bacon
Lay 4 slices bacon in a cold skillet and cook over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until crisp (about 8–10 minutes). Transfer to paper towels to drain, then chop roughly into bite-size pieces.
- 6
Roast tomatoes
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss 12 cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Spread on a small sheet pan and roast 12–15 minutes until blistered and slightly collapsed. Remove and let cool slightly.
Hot Honey
- 7
Make hot honey
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 4 tbs honey and 1 tsp red pepper flakes. Warm gently until runny and fragrant, 1–2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust heat (add more flakes if desired). Keep warm or let cool slightly for drizzling.
House Ranch
- 8
Whisk ranch
In a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup sour cream until smooth. Stir in 1 tbsp chopped chives, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp dill, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust thickness with a little more buttermilk if desired. Chill until serving.
Salad Assembly
- 9
- 10
Build the salad
In a large bowl, combine the romaine, sliced cucumber, roasted tomatoes, chopped bacon and 1 cup shaved Parmesan. Toss gently to combine.
- 11
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