Crunchy Monterey Ranch Unfried Chicken

Guys. The flavor in this one! Oh, it’s good. Frying chicken is really for the birds (ha) but an unfried chicken situation is one I’ll sidle up to any ole’ time. Yes. It’s less messy and fussy, faster, requires less tricky cleanup, and of course – is all-around healthier for you. Winning. This entire Monterey Ranch Un-Fried Chicken post gives me so many homey vibes – it reminds me so much of the meals I’d sit down to with my family growing up. A healthy-ish protein, something green, a starch … gang’s all here! This is a perfectly square meal, and really, you can serve whatever greens n’ things you like alongside this very unfried chicken. But for my money, I typically opt for my all-time favorite roasted potato wedges, and usually my raw and roasted radishes with blistered green beans.

But again, you do you. This main point here, is that this chicken is amazing and something we should all have in our weeknight dinner arsenals when we need a completely crowd-pleasing option that isn’t chock full of bad-for-you things. And so. Onward.

What is Unfried Chicken? What is Un-Fried Chicken?

Firstly, these two things are one in the same. You’ll see “unfried” and “un-fried” written all over the place, so as far as spelling goes, I say go with whatever choice leaves you feeling better about yourself.

Anyway. Ahem.

Un-fried chicken is a method of cooking chicken – either white or dark meat – that results in a crispy, crunchy exterior and a juicy, moist interior, but does not require deep frying to achieve this. It is, in essence, not fried chicken. But the cool thing is that it winds up mimicking the best things about fried chicken, the things we love so much about it.

What is the difference between Un-Fried Chicken and Oven Fried Chicken?

This time, there actually is a difference. Oven fried chicken, as opposed to the un-fried chicken we’re making here today, involves submerging bone-in, skin-on pieces of chicken in a baking dish that is filled about halfway with cooking oil (usually comes halfway up the chicken pieces). You turn the pieces of oven-frying chicken as it cooks in the oil, establishing a crust as you would if you were to do the frying up on the stovetop. I think the appeal to oven fried chicken is simply the fact that you get to contain the smells/mess/splatters in the oven. It’s the containment that seems to hold the benefits, I think.

That said, oven frying is still a bit messy, and it’s not healthy – so definitely don’t fall into the trap of thinking that it is.

Is Unfried Chicken Healthy?

I don’t think I’d say that un-fried chicken is going to win any health awards, no. However it is so much lighter, leaner and better-for-your-bod than full-on fried chicken could ever hope to be. So, there’s that. It’s healthier. Emphasis on the “er.” I use healthy yogurt as the “glue” in my un-fried chicken, as opposed to mayo, and I also opt for healthy olive oil to moisten my ranch-y breadcrumb coating as well, rather than butter.

The sheer amount of oil that soaks into the fried chicken skin, in classic fried chicken, cranks up the calorimeter and the fat grams so much – even when fried by the very best experts who know how to minimize that oily absorption. It’s still … a lot of oil. The skin itself is also caloric and heavy. So.

The fact that we’re eliminating the big, hot bath of oil from the equation, as well as the skin, means that we’re starting on a lighter, leaner foot all around.

What is the best cut of chicken to use for Un-Fried Chicken?

In short: whatever you want!

Another great thing about this “un-frying” method – it really works well with whatever cut/kind of chicken you like. It can apply to bone-in, skin-on meat as well as boneless, skinless breasts which is what I’ve written the recipe for today, and what the photos reflect.

That said, if you want to coat some, say, drumsticks in the yogurt and then dredge them in the exact same flavor mix, go for it! Simply note that bone-in meats requires a longer cook time, as the bones tend to effect how heat is distributed throughout the chicken pieces, inhibiting it to a degree. Anyway, that’s probably TMI for today, but still.

What you’ll need

3 TBSP olive oil 

⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs

⅔ cup Monterey Jack cheese

1 heaping TBSP ranch seasoning/salad dressing mix (such as Hidden Valley Ranch)

4 chicken breasts

6 to 8 tsp plain yogurt

Salt and pepper, as needed

How to make this Monterey Ranch Un-fried Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. 

In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, panko, jack cheese, and ranch seasoning; stir until everything is moistened. 

Put the chicken breasts on a cutting board and pat them dry with paper towels. Set a piece of plastic wrap over top and, using a heavy-bottomed glass or pan, pound them to half of their original thickness. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread each on one side with some of the yogurt. Mound the ranch/panko mixture on top of each chicken piece, using the yogurt like glue. Press firmly so the mixture adheres!

Carefully transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until cooked through and golden brown; 12 to 15 minutes. 

If you like the looks of this Monterrey Ranch Un-fried Chicken Recipe, you might also enjoy:

Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Hot Honey Dripped Oven Fried Chicken Sandwiches

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