Quick and easy weeknight meals are a must in this house. With busy summer nights, it seems we don't start thinking about dinner until the sun starts setting at 9 p.m. This family is obsessed with ranch and chicken. So this grilled garlic ranch chicken recipe gives you juicy, flavorful grilled or baked chicken perfect for any weeknight with just four simple ingredients.
And this summer if we are going to eat more than just a ham sandwich, simple is key for us. We have been busy with camps, two a day swim practice and getting our 4-H animals ready for fair. Thank goodness we are on eastern time zone when we should be on central because it is light till after 9:30 pm.
Since I don't buy much meat at the grocery store except for chicken, when I do buy chicken I buy it on a quick sale. Most quick sale chicken has a nearby sell-by date. Sell by date does not mean use by date. And most of the time when I buy chicken I am going to cook it the same day. If you aren't checking out the quick sale meat section of the meat case, start doing it. It is the perfect way to try out this garlic ranch chicken.
I have gotten a lot of questions about chicken. Which chicken is hormone free? What chicken is antibiotic free? How do I know chicken is raised cage-free? All these questions are spurred by marketing labels.
The truth about chicken labels...
Here is what I can tell you simply, all the chicken you buy is free from artificial hormones. It is illegal to use hormones in chickens and has been since the 1950s. All chicken is free from antibiotic residue if it was given antibiotics. And to think you can raise animals without antibiotics and is like thinking you can send your kid to kindergarten and not get sick. Ever. Animals get sick and deserve to have their illness treated. Finally, all chickens raised for meat are cage free. Period. It is chickens raised for eggs that could be in cages. And those cages are gifts to the welfare of egg laying chickens. Trust me.
Want more information about how chickens for meat are raised? Check out some easy to understand information from Sanderson Farms.
Grilled Garlic Ranch Chicken
Grilled Garlic Ranch Chicken is so simple, people.
Water
Garlic
Chicken - for me this means boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Dark meat rules!
Mix and marinate. I do most of my marinading in gallon zipper bags. It works best in my opinion.
Marinate for at least one hour before grilling. All day long would be perfect. Then fire up the grill and get it blazing.
Garlic ranch chicken can't be that without a lot of garlic and ranch. Season each side with ranch seasoning. I have absolutely no self control when it comes to garlic. If a little is good, a lot is definitely always better. So, might as well keep it piled on the chicken after marinading in it.
Grill till cooked to 165 degrees and then let rest.
This is seriously some of the best-grilled chicken if you are looking for an alternative to BBQ chicken. I know this garlic ranch chicken will become a regular grilled chicken recipe in our house.
Ranch Chicken Recipes
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza Casserole
📖 Recipe
Garlic Ranch Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons ranch dressing seasoning mix divided
- 4 cloves garlic diced
Instructions
- Mix water, 2 tablespoons of ranch dressing and garlic together.
- Place chicken pieces into a gallon ziploc bag. Pour water, ranch, garlic mix over top and seal. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Remove from marinade, season with ranch seasoning on both sides and grill or bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Nutrition
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Super Easy! My boyfriend loved it! Will definitely make again and again! Thank you!
Holly Hooper