Why You Should Be Marinating Your Chicken In Ranch

A good marinade can transform even the blandest proteins, like a boneless, skinless chicken breast, into something truly amazing. Most marinades aren't difficult to make, but if you're at a loss when it comes to which combination of fat, acid, and seasoning should be mixed, all hope isn't lost. All you need to do is open your fridge and reach for the ranch dressing.

It's true that sometimes the prospect of preparing an enticing and delicious meal can be daunting, especially when dealing with a relatively lackluster protein. But, rather than stress yourself out by working with many ingredients, look first to condiments for a much simpler way to make recipes more interesting. Imparting some color and even texture, these big and bold sauces are also designed to excite taste buds in an instant. 

Naturally, ranch is no different. Perfectly balanced, the dressing is lusciously rich and electrifyingly tangy thanks to its blend of creamy mayonnaise and slightly sour buttermilk. With a fresh herbaceousness and uniquely savory quality, it's safe to say that ranch is a great ingredient for maximizing flavor, especially when jazzing up bland meat dishes. While you might already use the sauce to dip and dunk pieces of already-cooked chicken, why not let flavors penetrate more fully with a ranch marinade?

Ranch dressing is like a fool-proof marinade and makes for a great excuse to finally use that leftover creamy goodness in a bottle. Boasting all the necessary elements in a ready-to-use bottle, its herbs and aromatics heighten the tasting experience. The fat from the mayonnaise helps the meat retain moisture, leaving the acidity from the buttermilk to act as a tenderizer.  

Requiring minimal time and effort, marinating the chicken is straightforward. Just toss the protein into a resealable bag or container with a healthy glug of ranch, making sure that every piece is well coated before letting the marinade work its magic. Of course, depending on the size of the pieces and whether or not the chicken is boneless or skinless, the marinating process can last anywhere from 2 to 24 hours. With extra-small pieces of chicken, 30 minutes could do. However, we'd recommend at least a couple of hours to ensure optimal juiciness and intensity of flavor for bigger cuts. 

So, whether you're pressed for time or simply can't think of how to give chicken breast that highly sought-after wow factor, remember that marinating with ranch can be the answer.