Crispy Chicken Salad with Cool Ranch Dressing – Recipe!

It’s my grandson’s birthday this upcoming week, and his favorite food is chicken.  It doesn’t matter the preparation of the chicken, but if he could choose, it would be crusted; however, he’ll eat virtually any kind of poultry.  His mom doesn’t like bones in her chicken, but he sure does, and in fact, when he goes to college, if they happen to have a buffalo hot wings eating contest, I’m sure he’ll win.  He can clear a bone of chicken faster and more efficient than almost anyone I’ve seen.   He truly enjoys the entire chicken experience, and when I make him a chicken dinner, he truly appreciates it.

Creating this lightened-up summer crispy chicken recipe is something I think we all can willingly indulge upon.  It isn’t hard to do – you just need an iron skillet, some oil and boneless skinless chicken dusted in flour.  I used an all-purpose flour, but you can substitute gluten-free, or rice flour for coating the chicken, if that’s what you prefer.  Seasoning the flour is something every good chicken recipe should require, because the flour alone doesn’t add much taste, and your goal with crispy chicken is to pack it with some good flavorings.

The salad portion of this recipe is nice and simple – a few handfuls of your favorite lettuce, a little diced cucumber and some creamy avocado.  It’s the cool ranch that really makes this meal appealing to a grander audience.  This one is for all of you Hidden Valley people that crave ranch dressing on top of almost anything.  My homemade version is simple and created with things you have in your refrigerator and pantry.  The cool and creamy sensation of the dressing, contrasted by the crispy chicken, and crunchy vegetables make this one delightful bowl of deliciousness.  Check out my Reel @genabellrecipes on Instagram!

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 cups mixed greens, any variety

1 cucumber, diced

1 avocado, diced

1 scallion, sliced

1 cup grapeseed or avocado oil for cooking

salt & pepper for dusting

Dressing

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup buttermilk or milk with 1 teaspoon white vinegar added

2 teaspoons dried dill or thyme

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. Add flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and pepper to a bowl, stir.  Place half of chicken into bowl and toss to coat.
2. In an iron skillet add oil and place over medium-high heat.  After 3 minutes, when oil is approximately 350 degrees, add dusted chicken and cook in oil on first side until crispy and golden brown.  Flip and repeat on other side, about 5 minutes in total.  Place on a paper towel lined plates and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Repeat with remaining chicken.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together Dressing ingredients.  Add a big pinch of salt and pepper, whisk.  Set aside.
4. In a serving bowl, add greens, cucumber, avocado and scallions.  Top with crispy chicken.  Dollop dressing over top and serve with remaining.  Enjoy!