Air fry the chicken

• Place the breaded chicken tenders in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
• Cook until golden and cooked through, following the package instructions.

Make the homemade ranch

• Whisk the mayonnaise, milk and ranch dressing mix in a bowl until smooth.
• Use slightly less milk and a little more mayonnaise so the ranch stays thick and not watery.
• If it is too thin, add more mayonnaise or chill it in the fridge to thicken.

Simmer the sticky sauce

• Combine the brown sugar and hot sauce in a saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring, then remove from the heat.

Coat the chicken

• Chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces.
• Add the chicken to the warm sauce and toss so it soaks up all the sauce.

Assemble the salad

• Chop the romaine hearts and place them in a large bowl.
• Top with the shredded Colby Jack cheese and the sticky chicken.
• Drizzle with the homemade ranch and toss; the dressing turns the sauce a creamy brown when it is right.