Description
This hearty salad is a perfect meal for any time of day, whether you’re looking for a light lunch or a satisfying dinner. The good news is, you can easily recreate Portillo’s Chopped Salad at home using this recipe!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 5 to 6-ounce boneless chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 3/4 cup ditalini pasta
- 4 cups mixed lettuce in a bag
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 3 mini cucumbers, halved and sliced thin
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons roasted pepitas
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
FOR THE DRESSING:
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Herb de Provence or Italian seasoning
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Start frying the diced bacon.
- As the bacon is frying, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing in a jar. Shake.
- Season the chicken breast with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and black pepper on both sides.
- Cook the pasta to al dente, drain.
- Once the bacon is crisp, remove from the pan and allow the excess fat to drain on paper towels.
- Remove all but about two tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Add the chicken breast.
- While the chicken is cooking, prep the remaining salad ingredients.
- Once the chicken is fully-cooked and browned on both sides, remove from the pan and chop into small pieces.
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl, along with the chicken, pasta and remaining ingredients.
- Dress the salad to your liking.
- Toss and serve in large bowls with crusty or garlic bread.
Notes
- Don’t forget to salt the water for the pasta.
- Chopped Romaine lettuce can be substituted for the bagged salad.
- Add or Delete any of the salad ingredients based on your liking.
- Salad yields 6 servings.
- See post for more Tips and Notes!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Meal Prep
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving