✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
This copycat Chili's Ranch Dressing is the thick, creamy, peppery house ranch that comes with boneless wings and fries. It's mayo, sour cream and buttermilk whisked with dried herbs and a splash of pickle juice for tang. Give it an hour in the fridge and you have a big jar that beats any bottle.
How Do You Make Chili’s Ranch Dressing? (Quick Answer)
Whisk 1 cup mayonnaise with 1/2 cup sour cream, then whisk in 1/2 cup buttermilk, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon each dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper, salt and 2 teaspoons pickle juice. Chill for 1 hour.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Chill it for the full hour. The dried herbs need time to soften and the dressing thickens as it sits.
Why You'll Love This Ranch
- Thick and creamy clings to wings and fries.
- Peppery tang buttermilk, black pepper and pickle juice.
- Pantry spices no packet needed.
- Big batch 2 cups in 5 minutes.
- Dip or dressing thin it for salads.
What Is Chili’s Ranch Dressing?
It's the house made ranch at Chili's, served with wings, chicken crispers, fries and salads. Fans love it for being thicker and more peppery than the bottled kind.
This homemade version uses everyday ingredients and keeps for a week in the fridge.
Equipment You’ll Need
This is a whisk-and-chill recipe, so the list is short.
- Medium mixing bowl: Big enough to whisk without splashing buttermilk everywhere.
- Whisk: A fork works, but a whisk gets it creamy in about 30 seconds.
- Measuring spoons: The dried herbs are strong, so measure rather than eyeballing them.
- Glass jar with a lid: I store mine in a pint mason jar so I can shake it before serving.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Mayonnaise: the rich base. Full fat gives the thickest ranch.
- Sour cream: adds body and a cool tang.
- Buttermilk: brings the classic ranch flavor and thins it just enough.
- Pickle juice: a little extra tang that makes it taste like restaurant ranch.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Shake the buttermilk. It separates in the carton, so shake it well before measuring.
- Grind the pepper fine. Lots of fine black pepper gives that restaurant ranch bite without big chunks.
- For a salad dressing. Whisk in 2 to 4 extra tablespoons of buttermilk until it pours.
- No buttermilk? Stir 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice into 1/2 cup milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Fresh herbs work. Use three times the amount of fresh parsley and dill, finely chopped.
- At our table. Max would put this ranch on cereal if I let him, so the jar lives on the top shelf of the fridge.
Chili’s Ranch Dressing
16
servings (2 tablespoons each)5
minutes0
minutes130
kcal1
hour5
minutesA copycat Chili’s Ranch Dressing recipe: mayonnaise, sour cream and buttermilk whisked with dried parsley, dill, garlic and onion powder, plenty of black pepper and a splash of pickle juice, then chilled for an hour until thick and tangy. Makes about 2 cups for dipping and salads.
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk, well shaken
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, finely ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
1 pinch paprika
Directions
- Stir the parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt and paprika together in a small bowl, crushing the dried herbs between your fingers as you add them.
- Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream together in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Whisk in the buttermilk a little at a time, then the herb mix and the pickle juice, until creamy and evenly flecked with green.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour so the dried herbs soften and the dressing thickens. Stir, taste for salt and pepper and serve.
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Variations for Different Diets
Ranch is so easy to tweak, and I do it all the time.
- Lighter: Swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt and use a light mayonnaise. It gets a little tangier, which I actually love.
- Dairy-free: Use a vegan mayo, a dairy-free sour cream and unsweetened plain almond milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in place of the buttermilk.
- Fresh herb ranch: Use three times as much fresh parsley and dill as dried. It keeps for fewer days but tastes like summer.
- Spicy ranch: Whisk in a teaspoon of hot sauce and a pinch of cayenne. Great with wings.
- Thicker dip: Cut the buttermilk in half and you have a ranch dip for veggies and chips.
What to Serve With Chili’s Ranch Dressing
This is the ranch I keep in the fridge door. Here’s where it goes fastest.
- Chili’s Skillet Queso: A full Chili’s appetizer spread at home with chips for both.
- Chili’s Salsa: Swirl a spoonful of ranch into the salsa for a creamy chip dip.
- Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers: Crispy chicken tenders and cold ranch is my go-to Friday dinner.
- Wingstop Hot Honey Rub Wings: The cool ranch tames the sweet heat.
- Wingstop Cajun Fried Corn: Drizzle a little over the corn instead of butter.
- Fresh veggies: Carrots, celery, cucumber and sweet peppers for a lighter snack plate.
Storage
Keep the ranch in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week and stir before serving. Don't freeze it, since it separates when thawed.
Make Ahead and Reheating
This dressing is better made ahead. Make it the day before so the dried herbs fully soften and the flavor deepens overnight.
No reheating needed, just give the jar a good shake or stir. If it thickens too much in the fridge, loosen it with a tablespoon of buttermilk.
More Chili’s Copycats
Set this out with a bowl of my Chili's salsa and chips. For another steakhouse ranch, try my Texas Roadhouse ranch, or browse all my copycat recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Chili's ranch different?
It's thick, creamy and more peppery than bottled ranch, made in house. This homemade version gets that from mayo, sour cream, buttermilk and plenty of black pepper.
How long does homemade ranch last?
Up to 1 week in a sealed jar in the fridge, or until the buttermilk's use by date if that comes sooner.
Can I use a ranch seasoning packet?
You can, but mixing your own herbs gives a fresher, less salty dressing.
Why is my ranch runny?
It needs to chill. It thickens a lot in the fridge. Light mayo or extra buttermilk also make it thinner.
What do I serve it with?
Boneless wings, chicken crispers, fries, onion rings, raw veggies and salads.
