Ingredients

For the sauce
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 2 cups hot sauce (I prefer Frank’s Red Hot)
  • 6 sprigs fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
For the chicken
  • 4 cups chicken stock, plus more to level.
  • 4 chicken breasts, room temperature
For the guacamole
  • 10 avocados, pitted and flesh removed
  • 1½ cups finely chopped red onion
  • 5-6 teaspoons fresh lime juice (about 6-8 limes)
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely grated on a rasp
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 2 cups ranch dressing (I prefer Hidden Valley Ranch Original)
  • 1 pound blue cheese, crumbled
  • 2¾ cups French’s French Fried onions, hand-crushed Corn tortilla chips

Prepare

1. Make the sauce. In a medium pot on low heat add the butter, hot sauce, oregano and peppercorn. Steep on low until butter is melted and oregano is fragrant, about 20 minutes (be patient!). Pour out half of the sauce into a large bowl and refrigerate, leaving the solids (oregano and peppercorn) in the pot with the other half of the sauce.

 

2. Poach the chicken. Add the chicken stock to the pot of remaining sauce and stir, then add the chicken and nudge and nestle below the liquid line. If chicken is not covered add more stock only just to cover (don’t do water, it will only dilute the flavor). Raise heat to a simmer and cook until a fork pierced in the largest breast reveals clear juices or an internal read thermometer reads 160°F, about 18 minutes. Remove chicken to the bowl of reserved hot sauce in the refrigerator to cool. Discard remaining pot contents.

 

3. Mix the guacamole. In a large bowl add the avocado, onion, lime juice, garlic, and a big pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. With your hands (the best way to do it and alleviate chip-breaking clumps) mix and squish the ingredients between your fingers until relatively smooth and only tiny chunks of avocado remain. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Fold in the tomatoes and ranch dressing with a spatula. Layer guacamole evenly in a 2 glass dishes. (2 13×9 casserole dishes or 2 cake trifle dishes will fit everything, if you don’t care about seeing the layers, just use two big bowls or a large lasagna pan).

 

4. Chop chicken and layer. Remove chicken in sauce from the refrigerator, reserving the sauce. Slice each breast in half lengthwise, then cut eat half into long strips, and turn to cut those strips into smaller cubes (think about how strong your chips are and make these chunks of chicken small enough to not break, but big enough to not make you angry when you scoop one). Place the chicken cubes back into the bowl of hot sauce and toss. Divide evenly and top the two dishes you’ve chosen with both the chicken and sauce. Next, divide and sprinkle the blue cheese evenly. Top with crushed French’s fried onions. Chill and serve room temperature or slightly chilled with tortilla chips.