Description
This Quick Chicken Cutlet Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing combines succulent prepared chicken cutlets with crisp green leaf lettuce, tangy quick pickled red onions, grape tomatoes, cucumber, celery, and peppadew peppers. The salad is finished with a creamy homemade ranch dressing featuring Greek yogurt and mayo, infused with dill and garlic spices. Perfect for a light, refreshing meal ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pickled Red Onions
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 cup boiling water (or enough to cover the onions)
Salad
- 2 prepared chicken cutlets
- 3 cups crispy green leaf lettuce (Boston, bibb, your choice)
- ½ pint grape tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ English cucumber, diced small (about ⅔ cup)
- 3 sticks celery, diced small (about ⅔ cup)
- ½ cup peppadew peppers, drained and diced (can use cherry peppers)
- 2 hardboiled eggs, prepared to your liking
Homemade Ranch Dressing
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup mayo (such as Duke's)
- 1½ teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh, minced)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Splash of milk
Instructions
- Pickle the Red Onions: Place the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl. Add the whole peppercorns, sugar, and white vinegar. Pour boiling water over the onions, just enough to cover them. Let them soak for at least 10-15 minutes until they soften and develop a tangy flavor.
- Prepare the Salad Ingredients: While the onions are pickling, dice the celery and cucumber, halve the grape tomatoes, and dice the peppadew peppers. Slice or chop the hardboiled eggs to your preference. Tear or chop the green leaf lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
- Make the Homemade Ranch Dressing: In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, mayo, dried dill, kosher salt, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground black pepper. Stir well to combine. Add a splash of milk to reach your desired dressing consistency, mixing thoroughly.
- Assemble the Salad: On serving plates or a large bowl, arrange the lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumber, celery, and peppadew peppers. Slice the prepared chicken cutlets and place them on top. Add the pickled onions and garnish with sliced hardboiled eggs.
- Dress and Serve: Drizzle the homemade ranch dressing over the salad just before serving or serve on the side. Toss gently if desired, then enjoy your quick and flavorful chicken cutlet salad.
Notes
- Leftover chicken cutlets make this salad an easy and flavorful main course.
- Feel free to customize vegetables according to availability and preference.
- The quick pickled onions add a tangy brightness that balances the creamy ranch dressing.
- You can use fresh dill instead of dried for a fresher herb flavor.
- If you prefer a thinner dressing, add more milk gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
- This salad is best served fresh but can be refrigerated for up to one day with dressing separate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
