Air Fryer Chicken Salad with Ranch
Air fryer chicken salad with ranch delivers all the crunch of fried chicken using minimal oil. The homemade ranch dressing, packed with herbs, perfectly balances warm, crispy chicken and fresh greens. It’s light, quick, and ideal for satisfying weekday meals with less effort.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 400 g chicken breast fillets cut into strips
- 250 ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 100 g plain flour
- 60 g breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- Olive oil spray
For the salad
- 1 romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cucumber small, sliced
- 150 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
For the ranch dressing
- 100 ml mayonnaise
- 80 ml buttermilk
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1 tsp dill fresh or dried
- ½ lemon juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken in buttermilk, garlic granules, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper for at least 30 minutes. Combine flour, breadcrumbs, and salt in a shallow bowl. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then coat evenly in the flour mix.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C. Spray the basket lightly with olive oil, place the coated chicken inside in a single layer, and mist again with oil. Cook for 12–14 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth. Taste and adjust lemon juice and seasoning as needed. Toss lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and avocado with half of the dressing. Add the chicken and drizzle with the remaining dressing before serving.
Notes
Using both flour and breadcrumbs gives the air-fried chicken that familiar crunch you’d expect from traditional frying. The breadcrumbs brown beautifully under hot air circulation, giving the chicken an even golden finish.
The ranch dressing keeps things creamy without feeling heavy. Fresh herbs make all the difference here — they brighten the dressing and give it that fresh, cooling counterpoint to the warm chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 580kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 39gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 100mgSodium: 870mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3000IUCalcium: 110mgIron: 1.8mg
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