CopyCat McDonald’s Bacon Ranch McCrispy

Ingredients

Ranch Dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix

Fried Chicken:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt plus extra to season the chicken
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper plus extra to season to chicken
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup milk
vegetable oil for deep frying

Sandwich Assembly:
4 potato hamburger buns
1/2 tablespoon melted butter
8 slices applewood smoked bacon cooked
12 crinkle-cut dill pickles
1/2 cup shredded lettuce optional
12 large round tomato slices optional

Directions

To make the dressing, combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, and Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix in a small bowl. Mix well and place in the refrigerator.

Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Set up a breading station: Combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and ground black pepper in a flat dish. Stir until well combined. In another shallow dish, combine the egg and milk and beat until smooth.

Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches a depth of 4 inches. Bring the oil to 350°F over medium-high heat.

While the oil is heating, bread the chicken: Place the chicken into the flour, covering both sides, and shake off the excess. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and shake off the excess. Then dip the chicken into the flour mixture again. Place the breaded chicken on a wire rack to rest for about 5 minutes before frying. This will help the coating adhere to the chicken.

Fry the chicken breasts, 2 at a time, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken has browned and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Drain the chicken on a clean wire rack.

Slice the potato buns if necessary and brush the cut sides with melted butter. Toast in a skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread a generous amount of ranch dressing on the bottom bun and top with a fried chicken cutlet. Add 3 bacon slices followed by 3 pickles. Spread a generous amount of ranch dressing on the top bun and place it on the sandwich.

To make the deluxe version, assemble the sandwich as described above, with the addition of 2 tablespoons of shredded lettuce and 3 tomato slices in between the bacon and pickles.