Description
If you’ve ever visited a Portillo’s, you’re probably familiar with their famous chopped salad. It’s a refreshing and delicious mix of vegetables, meats, and cheese. All of the ingredients are chopped up into bite-sized pieces and tossed with a tangy, Italian dressing. 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
- 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
Keywords: chopped salad recipe, Portillo's chopped salad, copycat Portillo's chopped salad, dinner salad recipe, easy pasta salad recipe, homemade Italian dressing, vinaigrette dressing recipe, easy dinner salad recipe, easy salad with chicken recipe