Crispy Chicken Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Crispy Chicken Salad has golden brown crispy chicken tenders with the refreshing freshness of a salad with a creamy chipotle ranch dressing.
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Made with ingredients like breaded and fried chicken with crispy bacon pieces, plump cherry tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, eggs, smooth avocado, cheese, and refreshing cucumbers, and covered with a creamy chipotle ranch dressing. This Crispy Chicken Salad recipe is a fan favorite topped with some of my Homemade Garlic Parmesan Croutons.
Why this recipe works
It has a variety of flavors between all of the ingredients and the contrast of the different textures leaves your tastebuds and brain wondering what each delicious bite is going to bring.
This salad is very easily customized like my Grilled Shrimp Cobb Salad, Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad you can include things you enjoy and omit the things you don't. I love to make a side of my Ciabatta Garlic Bread.
This recipe comes together fast and is great for those busy nights when you want a healthy dinner- fast like my Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing.
Ingredients needed
- Flour: all purpose flour
- Panko: I use plain but panko with Italian seasoning also works.
- Spices: paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
- Eggs: Used to coat the chicken and boiled for the salad.
- Bacon: I like to use a smoky thick-cut bacon.
- Chicken: Chicken tenders or boneless chicken breasts will work
- Oil: Avocado oil, canola or vegetable
- Mayonnaise: Use real mayonnaise
- Milk: Whole or 2%
- Ranch powder:
- Chipotle powder: optional, but adds a nice flavor
How to make this crispy chicken salad
- Step 1: In a shallow bowl, add flour. Use tongs to roll and coat each piece of chicken in flour.
- Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk eggs. Use tongs to dredge each flour coated piece of chicken through the whisked egg mixture.
- Step 3: In a 3rd shallow dish, mix the panko breadcrumbs and spices until combined, transfer your egg and flour mixture coated chicken to the bowl. Press the chicken down gently and coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat the coating process for all chicken pieces in each bowl.
- Step 4: Add bacon pieces to skillet and cook until crispy. Drain on paper towel to remove excess grease.
- Step 5: Add a bit of oil to the skillet and let it heat up. Then carefully place a few pieces of breaded chicken in hot oil.
- Step 6: Fry and flip halfway through cook time. Finish frying before removing to let cool on a plate.
- Step 7: Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk.
- Step 8: Place in the refrigerator until thickened.
How to assemble the salad
In a large bowl or serving platter, add lettuce and top with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and shredded cheese.
Once chicken has been cooked and cooled a bit, slice into strips and place crispy chicken strips on top of the salad along with the bacon.
Slice up creamy avocado pieces and add to the salad as you serve.
Recipe Tips
- Always use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken to ensure it reaches 165F internal temperature before removing from the skillet to cool and cut.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken tenderloins. Only put them in a single layer or they won't cook evenly.
- Feel free to add your other favorite fresh veggies to this salad mixture.
Recipe Faq's
The options are endless here. Use whatever your favorite dressing
is. I think this salad would be great with any store bought, or homemade dressing like honey mustard dressing
, tangy homemade ranch, blue cheese
dressing, creamy salsa, or classic ranch dressing, etc.
I recommend storing the fried chicken and the salad separately. If you store the chicken with the salad, you won't have crisp lettuce
anymore. Your fresh vegetables may also lose their crunch too.
More salad recipes
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Crispy Chicken Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
Chipotle Ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon Ranch dressing mix
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder optional
For the chicken
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 5 slices bacon cut into bite sized pieces
- 6 chicken tenders or 2 boneless chicken breasts cut into thirds
- Oil for frying
For the salad
- 3 cups romaine or iceburg lettuce chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cucumbers cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 3 boiled eggs peeled and cut in half
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese
- 1 ripe avocado cut into slices
Instructions
Chipotle Dressing
- In a small bowl mix the dressing together and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the chicken
- Using 3 shallow bowls add the flour to one. In another add the eggs and whisk together. Mix the panko bread crumbs, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in another bowl and mix until combined.
- Roll the chicken into the flour, then coat with the beaten eggs.
- Then into the panko bread crumb mixture and gently press until coated well. Place on a plate and repeat until all of the chicken is coated.
- Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add the bacon, cook until crispy and place on a paper towel to drain.
- When the bacon is done add a little more oil to the skillet (you want about ½ inch) and let it heat up a bit more. Add in a few pieces of the breaded chicken and fry for 3-4 minutes flip and fry 3-4 more minutes, remove to a plate or cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Assemble the salad
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl or platter and top with tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, and cheese. Slice the chicken into strips and place them on top, followed by the crispy bacon. Slice your avocados and place on top before serving.
- Serve with the ranch dressing
So happy you loved it Jenny 🙂
This salad is my new favorite! The crispy chicken is delicious I just added some chipotle pepper to bottled dressing and it was yummy!