Not Fried Chicken on the Ranch and Peeler Salad
Rachael says, “This one is an updated version of shake and bake style chicken. The ranch dressing is made with buttermilk, which I always thought of as rich and fattening – not so! Buttermilk is very low in fat, as it is made from skim milk. This is one feel-good-about-it down-home supper.” Serve with Rachael’s Peeler Salad, included in the recipe below.
Ingredients
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (half a palmful)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder (half a palmful)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder (half a palmful)
- 1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
- A few dashes of hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley (about a palmful), chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (about a palmful), chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives (about a palmful), chopped
- 1/2 English (seedless) cucumber
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped
Directions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
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Mix the breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder in a shallow dish. Season the chicken pieces liberally with salt and pepper and toss in crumbs to coat. Place the coated chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cooked through.
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In a bowl, mix together the buttermilk, lemon juice, garlic, hot sauce, parsley, dill and chives. Season the dressing with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate and reserve.
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When you are ready to eat, use a vegetable peeler to make long, thin ribbons of your cucumber, carrots and celery. Combine the tomatoes and lettuce in a salad bowl and toss with peeled vegetables and half of the dressing.
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Serve chicken with salad alongside and pass the remaining dressing to dab on chicken.