Food and Recipes Dinner Crispy Ranch Chicken Be the first to rate & review! These easy crispy ranch chicken cutlets will please the whole family. We suggest serving them over hot buttered pasta, but you can also use them in sandwiches or salads. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer who's been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on September 2, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Active Time: 35 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 4 to 6 There are many ways that parenting humbles you. Even the child of a food editor prefers grilled cheese or buttered noodles over spaghetti Bolognese ("too saucy") or chicken enchiladas ("The cheese looks weird, and what are those green things?"). The solution? Turn one simple dish—a crispy piece of boneless chicken—into a customizable supper that everyone around the table can appreciate. The ingenious ingredient that makes these cutlets is ranch seasoning mix, which adds zingy notes of buttermilk, savory garlic, and brightness from dried herbs. You can serve the chicken solo (with a little ketchup on the side to entice the skeptics), top a pile of salad with it (see our recipe below), tuck it into a sandwich—and the list goes on. Depending on your child, you may or may not want to call it a “schnitzel.” The name could instantly turn the dish into something unfamiliar and therefore inedible, or they might find the word hilarious and chow down with glee. Ingredients Chicken: 6 (6-oz.) chicken breast cutlets 6 Tbsp. ranch seasoning mix, divided (from 2 [1-oz.] envelopes) 3 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste 1 tsp. black pepper, divided 3 large eggs 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3 cups panko breadcrumbs 1 cup canola oil, divided Hot Buttered Pasta: 16 oz. uncooked spaghetti 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter 4 tsp. finely chopped garlic 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese Lemon wedges, crushed red pepper, and chopped dill, for topping (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 200°F. Place each cutlet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using flat side of a meat mallet, pound each cutlet to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle cutlets with 2 tablespoons of the ranch seasoning mix, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Crack eggs into a large shallow bowl; beat until combined. Place flour in a second large shallow bowl. Place panko and remaining 4 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a third large shallow bowl. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg to coat; place in panko mixture, pressing to coat both sides. Transfer cutlets to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add 2 cutlets; cook until golden brown on each side and a thermometer inserted in center registers 165°F, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack; place in preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat procedure twice with remaining 4 cutlets, adding remaining 1/2 cup oil to skillet as needed. Sprinkle chicken with additional salt to taste. Meanwhile, make Hot Buttered Pasta. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, reserving 1 cup cooking water; set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in cooked spaghetti, reserved cooking water, and Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring vigorously, until evenly coated, about 2 minutes. Divide pasta between 4 bowls. Slice 1 Crispy Ranch Chicken Cutlet, and divide evenly between bowls; garnish with chopped fresh dill, crushed red pepper, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon wedges. Five-Minute Fried Chicken Salads Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Toss together 4 cups torn red leaf lettuce, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives in a large bowl, and divide mixture between 2 plates. Slice 2 Crispy Ranch Chicken Cutlets, and place 1 on top of each salad. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. ACTIVE 5 MIN. - TOTAL 5 MIN. - SERVES 2 Rate It Print