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Prep time
6 hours 15 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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Serves
2
Author Notes
Ranch was dreamed up in the 1950s as a dressing—but in this recipe, it’s a marinade. And oh, what a marinade. I don’t need to tell you that buttermilk metamorphosizes chicken, tenderizing the meat, bolstering its confidence. And indeed, if you’ve ever tried Samin Nosrat’s famous roast chicken from Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, you know that buttermilk and salt do wonders all on their own. Adding savory, tingly, ranch-y ingredients takes something great and makes it even greater. Don’t be intimidated by the longish lists below—the brine and bread crumbs take advantage of the same pantry staples, like garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, and dried chives. Hot sauce punches up the marinade, while nutritional yeast yields cheesier crumbs, a trick I learned from Sohla El-Waylly’s Genius Ranch Fun Dip. Still warm, these crispy chicken cutlets are wonderful with any salad, or sandwiched inside a squishy bun, or served next to a mountain of cabbage slaw. If you’re an overachiever, you can even whip up this Miso Ranch Dressing for dunking. Why not? Sometimes more is more. —Emma Laperruque
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Ingredients
- Buttermilk-brined chicken
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1 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1 teaspoon
garlic powder
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1 teaspoon
onion powder
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1 teaspoon
dried dill weed
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1 teaspoon
dried chives
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1 teaspoon
hot sauce
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3/4 cup
buttermilk
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2
boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), halved horizontally and pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- Bread crumbs and frying
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1 cup
panko
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2 tablespoons
all-purpose flour
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2 tablespoons
nutritional yeast
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1 tablespoon
dried dill weed
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1 tablespoon
dried chives
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2 teaspoons
garlic powder
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2 teaspoons
onion powder
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3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
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3/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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Neutral oil, for panfrying
Directions
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To make the brine, add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, chives, and hot sauce to the liquid measuring cup with the buttermilk. Stir, then add to a container or zip-top bag. Now add the chicken and make sure it’s completely covered. Refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.
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Meanwhile, make the bread crumbs by stirring together everything but the oil. Store in an airtight container until you’re ready to cook.
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When the chicken is done brining, transfer the seasoned bread crumbs to a shallow bowl or pie plate. Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture and use your fingers to squeegee away any excess liquid. Individually dredge the chicken pieces in the crumbs, pressing firmly to coat.
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Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom—about 1/8 inch high, roughly halfway up each chicken cutlet. When a crumb dropped in the oil instantly sizzles, add the chicken. Cook in batches, if needed; if you overcrowd the pieces, they won’t brown properly. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until the chicken is deeply golden brown all over and cooked through.
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Transfer to a wire rack to drain, dabbing with paper towels if needed. Serve hot. These are excellent with a salad, especially one dressed with even more ranch.
Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.
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