chopped salad

A finely chopped salad packed with veggies and a dressing inspired by the viral chopped Italian sandwich.

Chopped Salad Recipe

Honestly, every salad I make is a chopped salad. This one combines all my favorite ingredients—greens, cucumbers, olives (for a salty bite), and grilled chicken for protein. Cutting it up as small as possible gives you the perfect ratio of flavors in every bite—and makes it easy to eat with a chip or in a sandwich. 

Ingredients for Chopped Salad

  • A large handful of arugula (measure with your heart)
  • A large handful of butter lettuce (measure with your heart)
  • ½ red bell pepper
  • 15 Castelvetrano olives 
  • 3 Persian cucumbers
  • 1 carrot
  • 5 scallions
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • ¼ cup dill, chopped

For the chicken

  • 2 chicken breasts, about 1 lb. 
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
  • 1 teaspoon oregano, divided

For the dressing

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup mayo
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

How to Make the Chopped Salad

  1. Chop the arugula and butter lettuce and add to a large bowl. 

  2. Finely chop the pepper, olives, cucumbers, carrot, scallions, cilantro, and dill and add to the bowl.

  3. Pound the chicken until it's about 1/2" thick.

  4. Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken then spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon oregano on each side.

  5. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Spray the pan with olive oil and add the chicken.

  6. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from pan and let rest for 5-10 minutes. 

  7. Chop the chicken and add to the salad. Add the dressing ingredients directly to the bowl with the salad and mix well to get everything evenly coated. Scoop into a sandwich or eat with a chip. 

What You’ll Need

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