We love fried pickles dipped in ranch — that’s just Southern law. But my mother‑in‑law looked at me one day and said, “Why not just cook the ranch into the pickles?” And honestly… she was onto something. After a few trial‑and‑error batches (and one moment where I questioned all my life choices), I finally landed on the perfect recipe.
I originally planned to use fish fry for the breading, but the sweet little old lady at the store — bless her heart — grabbed chicken fry instead because she couldn’t read the label. Turns out, that “mistake” was the best thing that ever happened to a pickle. These spicy fried pickles come out so crispy, flavorful, and ranch‑infused that you don’t even need dipping sauce.
If you want a breading with more cornmeal crunch, try fish fry next time — but trust me, this chicken‑fry version is legendary.
Ingredients
½ bag Louisiana Chicken Fry Seasoning
¼ cup buttermilk
1 cup all‑purpose flour
½ tablespoon cornstarch
Dill pickle chips or Famous Dave’s Sweet & Spicy pickles
1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Canola oil (or your preferred frying oil)
Directions
Set up your dredging bowls
- Bowl 1: Flour
- Bowl 2: Buttermilk
- Bowl 3: Mix together the Louisiana Chicken Fry Seasoning, dry ranch seasoning, and Cajun seasoning.
Coat the pickles Dip each pickle slice in this order: flour → buttermilk → seasoned chicken fry mixture. Make sure each slice is fully coated.
Rest before frying Place the coated pickles on a plate or tray while you heat the oil. This helps the breading stick better.
Heat the oil Heat canola oil (or your preferred frying oil) to 350°F.
Fry the pickles Fry in small batches until the outside is golden brown and crispy.
Drain & serve
(Amazon Link)
Famous Daves Sweet and Spicy Pickles
These turned out so well, new favorite fired pickle recipe!
Mary
@Southernspoon