Tortilla Chip and Pepper Jack Crusted Chicken with Avocado and Jalapeno Ranch

Drop everything you're doing right now.  Seriously.  What I'm about to share with you is mind blowing.  I made a touchdown in the kitchen last night with this ridiculously amazing chicken.  It's Tortilla Chip & Pepper Jack Cheese Crusted Chicken with Avocado & Jalapeno Ranch Sauce.  I know, right?  I just heard you fall out of your chair.  It's okay.  Take some deep breaths.  It was really really easy and so darn tasty!

We really do eat a lot of chicken in our house, and I love it coated in stuff or smothered in stuff or stuffed with stuff.  That's a lot of stuff.  But this chicken, oh, how I loved this chicken.  My husband and our kids loved this chicken.  The dogs loved this chicken.  Wait...they love any people food we give them, so I guess their opinions don't count.  But the crispy, cheesy coating on this chicken has a wow factor unknown to man, well, except for my husband and my 12-year-old son who thinks he's a man. Trust me, this one is a keeper.  And Avocado & Jalapeno Ranch Sauce?  I could eat it on cereal...or a paper bag.  Okay, probably not a bag.  But it's good enough to dip everything into!

Are you ready for this?

TORTILLA CHIP & PEPPER JACK CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO & JALAPENO RANCH
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
One 12-ounce bag tortilla chips
4 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
1 C mayonnaise
1/2 T garlic powder
1/2 T cumin
1/2 T chili powder
2 teaspoons lime juice

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 C mayo

1/2 C buttermilk

1 C sour cream

1 packet Ranch dip mix

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

1-3 T diced jalapeno slices (from a jar)

1 teaspoon lime juice
2 avocados

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put about half of the bag of chips into the food processor and blend.  You should have 2-3 C crushed chips. (Reserve the rest of the bag in case you don't have enough.)  Mix the shredded cheese and the crushed chips together.

Whisk together the mayo, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and lime juice.  Dredge the chicken breasts into the mayo and then into the chip mixture, pressing down to make sure it's all coated.  (Here's where you may need to grind extra chips for coating if you run out.)  When all the chicken is coated, put it in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is done all the way through and the chips are crispy.

Blend the sauce ingredients together in a food processor and serve over the chicken.