Fried Pickle Salad
What makes this a fried pickle salad? It’s the crispy, onion-flavored breadcrumbs on top that add an extra layer of texture and crunch.
This has been my hyper-fixation meal of late.
This delicious salad starts with a hearty mix of shredded cabbage and massaged kale, making it ideal for meal prep. It’s topped with shredded rotisserie chicken, radish sticks, and sliced cherry tomatoes, then drizzled with a creamy homemade ranch packed with fresh herbs and plenty of garlic. This satisfying salad always hits the spot and comes together quickly, as long as your ingredients are prepped ahead of time.
Make the Buttermilk at Home, Don’t Buy It
As much as I love ranch dressing, I find it a bit cumbersome to invest in a half gallon of buttermilk just to make the dressing. Therefore, I made a small amount of it at home by mixing either lemon juice or white vinegar with whole milk. Allow the milk to sit on the countertop for a bit so it turns a bit thick. The simple ratio is to add one tablespoon of vinegar for every cup of milk.
Prep All Ingredients in Advance
In classic cooking school style, I've become strict about packing and labeling food. I suggest investing in a variety of deli containers in different sizes, along with a handy tape dispenser I discovered on TikTok that makes it super easy to just grab a piece of tape because it is magnetic. The key thing is to make sure you include what’s in the container and the date that you made it. These small extra steps will make weekly meal prepping much easier and reduce the amount of food wasted.
Breadcrumbs are the New Croutons
Croutons are a classic 90s salad topping—big, bulky, and awkward to eat. Lately, many restaurants have been switching to breadcrumbs instead. They still deliver that satisfying crunch, but they’re evenly distributed throughout the salad. Believe me, this simple change has been a game-changer for my salads at home.
Ingredients for the Ranch Dressing*
4 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
2 cups mayonnaise, Duke’s
3/4 - 1 cup buttermilk, for desired consistency
2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped dill
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon MSG
Kosher salt to taste
*Note: this is a double batch of the dressing.
Ingredients for the Bread Crumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced, dried onions
Kosher salt to taste
Ingredients for the Salad
2 lbs rotisserie chicken, peeled
1/2 green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 lb bag of shredded kale
2 cups thinly sliced radish
2 cups diced pickles, Grillo’s Pickle Spears
2 1/2 - 3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Makes 6 Servings
Directions for the Ranch Dressing
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, herbs, spices, and lemon juice. Slowly stir in the buttermilk until you reach the desired consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let the mixture rest for an hour to develop flavors before using it to dress the salad.
The dressing can keep in the fridge for up to one week.
Directions for the Bread Crumbs
In a sauté pan, bring the olive oil up to medium heat. Add in the dried minced onion and toast for 30 seconds. Then, add in the breadcrumbs and continue to cook until they are golden brown. Finally, add a bit of Kosher salt to taste.
Transfer to a plate until they are fully cooled. Then, add into a deli container and store up to one week.
Directions for the Salad
This is all based on personal preference, so adjust to your liking. In a large bowl, combine some of the shredded kale and cabbage. Then, add in a handful of your shredded rotisserie chicken, sliced radish, cubed pickles, and tomatoes.
Next, add a dash of your toasted bread crumbs. Don’t worry, once the salad is tossed, you’ll be adding more to the top for extra crunch. Then, drizzle as much ranch as you would like to your salad. I like to do this in increments while I taste so I don’t overdress the salad.
Finally, transfer your salad to a bowl and pile it high! Finish with more breadcrumbs and a bit more ranch if needed. Enjoy!