CHICKEN CROQUETTES ON SALAD WITH RANCH DRESSING

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Chicken|Ciao Bella|Salad

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for cooking the croquettes)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

½ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

½ cup yellow bell pepper, finely chopped

3 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 ½ cups flour, divided

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup light cream

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

2 eggs

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Ranch Dressing:

½ cup sour cream

½ cup Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise

1 ¼ cups buttermilk

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1 tablespoon Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Salad:

Mixed greens

Cherry or grape tomatoes

Cucumber

Mushrooms

Avocado

Instructions

To make the croquettes, heat the butter and olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the red and yellow peppers and cook 2 minutes more, stirring frequently.

Add the chicken, salt, and black pepper to the pan and stir to coat. Add ½ cup of the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until the flour is absorbed and mixture is thick.

Add the chicken stock and cream to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thick and coats the chicken, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan and parsley. Remove the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour (or put in the freezer for 20-30 minutes).

Remove the mixture from the fridge and stir in the shredded mozzarella cheese. Form the mixture into 8 ‘patties’ (about the size of a burger patty) and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Refrigerate the patties to set for 30 minutes while you make the gravy and prepare the breading station.

To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients together in a large jar and shake, shake, shake! Dressing will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare your breading station by beating the 2 eggs in one shallow dish. Place the remaining cup of flour in another dish and the panko in a third dish. Coat the bottom of a large, non-stick, frying pan with olive oil (about ¼” deep). Heat the oil over medium high heat.

Dip the croquette patties into the flour first, shaking of the excess, followed by the egg, and then press into the panko breadcrumbs to coat. Place in the hot oil and cook until golden brown and hot in the center, about 3-4 minutes per side. Do this in 2 batches so you do not overcrowd the pan. Place the golden croquettes back onto the foil lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Serve the hot croquettes over fresh greens with tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and avocado or your favorite salad ingredients. Drizzle with ranch dressing.