Italian Chopped Salad with Chicken

5 from 3 votes

Italian Chopped Salad with Chicken is loaded with crisp fresh greens, vegetables and protein dressed with a lively vinaigrette you'll want to drizzle on everything! It's the perfect salad to have on hand all spring and summer long for a quick lunch or light dinner.

Prep Time45

Total Time45

Course: Main Course / Dinner Salads

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Fat

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Dressing

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Salad

1 large heads Romaine lettuce (or 2 small) chopped
1 small bunch red kale stems removed and chopped
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes halved
8 red radishes thinly sliced
1/2 large red onion chopped
2 1/2 to 3 cups diced cooked chicken
6 ounces salami such as Genoa, pepperoni or soppresseta or chopped (approximately 1 heaping cup)
1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
8 ounces Provolone cheese cut into small cubes
1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini

Instructions

Dressing

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Slowly add the extra virgin olive oil, whisking constantly until blended. Set aside or refrigerate while preparing the salad.

Salad

Combine the salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
When ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the salad or allow each diner to dress their salad as desired.

Notes

Prep time does not include cooking the chicken.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Use canned tuna or salmon in place of the chicken or leave the meat out altogether.
Use red cabbage or radicchio in place of red kale
Use Mozzarella in place of the Provolone
Use cannellini beans in place of the chickpeas
Use ham instead of salami.
Vary the veggies!

TIPS:

When whisking the dressing, drizzle the olive oil slowly so it emulsifies fully.
Whether you use canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or another canned bean, you always want to rinse and drain the beans thoroughly.

MAKE AHEAD:

Salad can be assembled 1 day ahead of time without being dressed. Add salad dressing just before serving.

Nutrition