Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Chopped Salad with Chicken
Crunchy romaine and tender chicken make a chopped salad that's easy to enjoy as dinner. Mozzarella and avocado add softer bites, with bacon bringing a savory edge. The tangy dressing reaches through the whole bowl, making each forkful a different combination of the toppings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 min
- Total
- 21 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 17 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken · Pork · Beans & lentils
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Salads
A few quick notes
1. Use a large bowl
Gather all the salad ingredients in a large bowl with enough room for the final toss.
2. Whisk the dressing separately
Whisk the lemon, vinegar, mustard and other dressing ingredients together before they touch the salad.
3. Dress just before serving
Pour over the dressing, toss to coat the ingredients and serve the finished salad immediately.
Get to know the ingredients
Chicken
Start with cooked, chopped chicken breast so it is ready to mix directly with the salad.
Chickpeas
Drain and rinse the chickpeas before adding them to the romaine and other chopped ingredients.
Mozzarella
Cut fresh mozzarella into the specified small pieces so it spreads evenly through the chopped salad.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 3 steps completeMake room for Chopped Salad with Chicken
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Coat the whole bowl
Toss until the dressing reaches the lettuce, chicken and toppings, then portion the salad for serving.
A little more help as you go
Fine shallot for dressing
Finely mince the shallot before whisking it into the dressing so it distributes through each serving.
Chop the romaine
Coarsely chop the romaine before combining it with the smaller toppings for a manageable forkful.
A few questions you might have
Does the bacon need cooking first?
Yes, add cooked, crumbled bacon to the salad bowl along with the chicken and vegetables.
Should I slice or dice the avocado?
Peel and pit it, then dice the avocado before adding it with the other salad ingredients.
Are the dressing herbs fresh?
The dressing uses dried oregano and dried parsley, whisked with the liquids and other seasonings.
When do the chives go in?
Thinly sliced chives join the salad bowl with the other toppings before the dressing is added.
Is the Dijon added directly to the lettuce?
Whisk it into the separate dressing first so it blends with the lemon juice, vinegar and oil.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
