This salad is a copycat recipe for Bob Evans’ sweet and spicy Wildfire Chicken Salad. It’s a combination of crunchy romaine lettuce, crispy fried chicken, sweet corn, ripe tomatoes, tortilla strips and cheddar cheese. And the BBQ Ranch Dressing is the perfect tangy touch to add to the salad to bring all the flavors together.
If you’ve lived in Ohio for most of your life like I have, or even just passed through the state, then you’ve dined at Bob Evans a few times. We seem to stop there when we are traveling, as there are numerous Bob Evans restaurants across the state.
About Bob Evans…
Bob and Jewell Evans opened their first restaurant in Gallipolis, Ohio in 1946. It was a small diner called “The Steak House”. Evans became well known for his sausage, which he made and delivered from a bread truck he converted into a delivery van. In the early 50’s, the Evans family purchased a farm in Rio Grande, Ohio. The business continued to grow and became what is now known as Bob Evans restaurant. Commercials were developed to promote their “Down on the farm” jingle.
Meals at Bob Evans are country style meals, like country fried steak and home fries or meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy. They also have a variety of breakfast meals, specialty salads, hearty soups and seasonal desserts. Bob Evans restaurants are a staple throughout the midwest.
The Wildfire Chicken Salad is a specialty salad made with crispy fried chicken strips, romaine and iceberg lettuce, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese, crunchy tortilla strips and homemade Wildfire Ranch dressing. This salad is the perfect combination of sweet and crunchy ingredients.
Copycat Wildfire Chicken Salad
Recipe makes 2 large salads.
- 4 cups of chopped lettuce, mix of iceberg and romaine
- crispy fried chicken, 8 strips or chunks
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup crunchy Sante Fe tortilla strips
- 2 tablespoon diced red onion (optional)
- 1/2 cup BBQ Ranch dressing
How to make fried chicken strips?
- You can use frozen chicken strips and bake them according to package instructions while preparing the salad as a shortcut.
- To make your own fried chicken, begin by removing the skin and bones from two chicken thighs. Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces or strips. Put 1/3 cup flour on a plate, 1 beaten egg on a second plate, and 2/3 cup of seasoned bread crumbs on a third plate. Coat the chicken pieces in flour, then dip them in egg and roll each piece in bread crumbs.
- Place 1/2 inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Fry the chicken in the hot oil for 8 minutes, turning after 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a sheet pan and place chicken in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, until crispy. Remove from the oven and place the chicken on a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken pieces.
Assembling the salad…
- Wash and chop the lettuce. Divide it between two plates. Add corn, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and onion to each salad.
- Top the salad with the chicken pieces and tortilla strips just before serving.
- Serve the salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing on the side.
How to make BBQ Ranch Dressing?
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup honey barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons milk
- a dash of hot sauce (optional)
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dressing recipe makes enough for 4 salads. Serve dressing on the side of each salad.
Remember to print the handy recipe card below for access to complete measurements and instructions, along with helpful photos.
Copycat Wildfire Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups of chopped lettuce mix of iceberg and romaine
- crispy fried chicken 8 strips or chunks
- 1/2 cup sweet corn
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup crunchy Sante Fe tortilla strips
- 2 tablespoon diced red onion optional
- 1/2 cup BBQ Ranch dressing
BBQ Ranch Dressing
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup honey barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing
- 2 tbsp milk
- dash hot sauce optional
Instructions
- You can use frozen chicken strips and bake them according to package instructions while preparing the salad as a shortcut.
- To make your own fried chicken, begin by removing the skin and bones from two chicken thighs. Cut the chicken into 1 1/2 inch pieces or strips. Put 1/3 cup flour on a plate, 1 beaten egg on a second plate, and 2/3 cup of seasoned bread crumbs on a third plate. Coat the chicken pieces in flour, then dip them in egg and roll each piece in bread crumbs.
- Place 1/2 inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Fry the chicken in the hot oil for 8 minutes, turning after 4 minutes. Remove chicken to a sheet pan and place chicken in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, until crispy. Remove from the oven and place the chicken on a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken pieces.
How to assemble the salad?
- Wash and chop the lettuce. Divide it between two plates.
- Add corn, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and onion to each salad.
- Top the salad with the chicken pieces and tortilla strips just before serving.Serve the salad with BBQ Ranch Dressing on the side.
How to make the dressing?
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Dressing recipe makes enough for 4 salads. Serve dressing on the side of each salad.
