Ranch Oven Fried Chicken

Evening friends!  I hope you are all well, or at least well fed, and happy!

This recipe was an experiment with myself.  I was at dinner with some of my sisters and brothers in law, and one of my sisters ordered this off of the menu.  I was skeptical.  I still don't get how baking chicken in the oven can make it crispy.  I mean it is obvious I think it isn't possible because, I have never done it.  Everyone else always says it works so I thought I would recreate these babies at home and find out for sure!  They were perfect, in fact they are far better than the restaurant where they were originally ordered!

For the seasoning, just use a dry packet or you can find my recipe for Ranch Seasoning mix here. or just buy it.  Mix it in with the melted butter for just an extra kick or ranch.  I found that the wavy Lays are the best, as they are a wee bit thicker.  You can make your crumbs almost dust or leave them a tiny bit chunky.  If they are TO chunky though, they won't stick to the chicken.   I am so bossy, aren't I??

I love these dipped in ketchup.  I felt like dipping them in ranch was kind of like eating a poached egg on a chicken cutlet.  I couldn't do it.  It seems to....I don't know, cruel?  HA!

Enjoy these as much as we did.  Remember, nobody said these were healthy, but if you figure that butter covers 9-12 chicken strips, it doesn't feel so bad in your mind.  I promise!

For this recipe, you will need:
3 large bones skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 3 or 4 strips each
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 tsp dry ranch dressing mix
9 1/2 ounce bag of Lays Wavy Ranch Potato Chip. (made into crumbs)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside.
Melt your butter in a bowl and then add the dry ranch seasoning to the butter.  Get your potato chip crumbs into a large Ziploc bag.  Place your chicken strips into the bowl and using tongs or a fork, make sure they are ALL COATED in the butter.  One at a time, place them into your potato chip bag and press the coating into the chicken.  When it is all coated,  lay on to the baking sheet and continue with the rest of your chicken.

Yes, that is a mess on the counter, because YES, I do make messes when I cook!

Bake for 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of your strips, mine took approx. 30 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan, and serve.  My favorite way is with ketchup.  I love ranch with ketchup!

Your "officially a believer" Chefwannabe

Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

That is the question for you ranch dressing lovers!  My husband and I love ranch dressing.  We dip in it, use it for salad sometimes, and I have even marinated in it.  You can use the dry packets of seasoning to mix in with breading, spice up chicken or roast or use to just make great dressing, now you can stop buying those packets and make your own!

Again, on my "make it myself" spree.  I decided to find a great dry mix recipe for ranch dressing.  Well I found one.  I usually like to write my own recipes.   I found one and decided to just try it, but to me it needed more of some things and less of some things.  I went to my local Dollar Tree and got a medium sized jar with a pop on lid to store it in.  You could use a regular jar but, what fun is that?!?!  Again, utilize your dollar store for SO many of these ingredients.  It may seem pricey but I am still working on the original batch I made 3 months ago.  Its not even half gone and for the first week after I made it my husband made ranch dip or dressing every single night!
I use this to sprinkle on chicken, I sprinkle it in breadcrumbs if I am breading something.  I have used it in turkey meatloaf, and dip for sour cream and onion chips!

Ranch Dressing Dry Mix Recipe

15 saltine crackers (squares)

2 1/2 cups dried parsley flakes

1/2 cup dried minced onions

3 tbsp dill weed

1/4 cup onion salt

1/4 cup garlic salt

1/4 cup onion powder

1/4 cup garlic powder

2 tbsp black pepper

Put crackers in your food processor or blender and process until they are dust!  Add the rest of the ingredients in and give just a quick process or blend (about 5 seconds worth) and place mixture into an airtight container.

For salad dressing, combine, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup sour cream and 1-2 tbsp of the mixture. 

For dip, combine, 1 1/2 tbsp of mix in 1 cup sour cream.

FOR LOWER SODIUM: replace "salts" with "powders"! 

Remember, it is up to you how much you put in. Start with some and add more if you like! Make it how YOU like it!

You can't see in the photo but I have the directions written right on the jar with a sharpie marker.  

Your "dip it, drizzle it,dipping queen" Chefwannabe

Chris