Black Pepper Chicken Strips with Buttermilk Ranch

I've been in quite the NYC coma for the past couple of days. We just got back from the most amazing trip to the city, where we ate like royalty, I got to meet all of Andrew's college friends, and we attended what can only be described as one of the most beautiful weddings full of love that I have ever had the pleasure of attending. But after 4 days of indulging on endless cocktails, incredibly rich meals, and so much laughter that my cheeks were hurting, it is time to get back to home cooking and my original dress size pre-vacation. Ha!

Black Pepper Chicken Strips with Buttermilk Ranch

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken strips
• lots of freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk

Breading

• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 3 tbsp. whole wheat flour
• 1 cup crushed rice or corn cereal (i.e. corn flakes or rice krispies)
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/8 tsp. paprika 
• 1/8 tsp. cumin
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Buttermilk Ranch

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp. buttermilk
• 3/4 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. dried dill
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• salt and freshly cracked pepper

Prepare the buttermilk ranch by whisking all of the ingredients together in a bowl and storing in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with tin foil and then placing a baking or cooling rack on top. This way the chicken gets cooked evenly on all sides while in the oven for the top and bottom is exposed while baking.

Place the chicken, pepper, and buttermilk in a shallow dish to marinate as you prepare your breading mixture.

In a large shallow dish, whisk together the breading ingredients. Take each chicken strip., one at a time, and freshly firmly into the breading mixture. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat for the rest of the chicken strips.

Spray each strip with just a bit of cooking spray and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the baking sheet, flip the chicken over, spritz again with come cooking spray, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve with your prepared buttermilk ranch dressing. Garnish with some fresh parsley or cilantro if you would like!