Grilled Chicken Salad With Creamy Any-Pickle Dressing

Boring chicken salad, who? The classic combination of grilled chicken and bottled ranch gets a summer glow-up in this barbecue-ready salad starring a Creamy Any-Pickle Dressing. This tangy, briny blend of buttermilk, sour cream, garlic powder, fresh dill, and any chopped pickles of your choice is used in two ways. First, it serves as a marinade that’s combined with a little extra salt and a pinch of MSG. Though the MSG is optional, it amps up the overall umami and enhances the chicken’s natural taste. The buttermilk in the dressing helps tenderize the meat and prevent dryness while the finely chopped pickles impart a deep savory flavor and help promote caramelization on the outside of the chicken while it is cooking.

Second, the remaining dressing is used to dress crisp lettuce and ribbons of Persian cucumbers. Halved cherry tomatoes bring sweetness and balance out all of the briny, punchy flavors, and some extra dill drives the ranch flavor home. Make sure to use a sturdy lettuce, like Little Gem or romaine, which will hold up to the viscosity of the dressing. Looking for more ways to have fun with this dressing? Try this Tomato Panzanella With Creamy Any-Pickle Dressing.