Super Italian Chopped Salad
This recipe for Super Italian Chopped Salad was my attempt to copy the Portillo’s chopped salad. Chopped chicken and bacon was substituted for the deli meat. Good Seasons salad dressing mix was used instead. Many of the salads I make are just throwing what I have on hand into a bowl and adding dressing, this recipe was helpful because it was good guide for measurements of the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3 cups torn romaine
- 15 oz garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
- 6 ½ oz jar marinated artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- 1 medium green pepper chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 2 ¼ oz can sliced ripe olives, drained
- 5 slices of deli ham chopped
- 5 thin slices of hard salami chopped
- 5 slices pepperoni chopped
- 3 slices provolone cheese chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
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In large bowl combine the first 11 ingredients. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over salad to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.
Recipe Notes
I make this more like the Portillo’s chopped salad. Substitute the deli meat with 2 cups chopped cooked chicken and 1 cup crumbled bacon. Add 4 cups cooked ditalini noodles. A spring lettuce mix adds more variety instead of just the romaine lettuce. Seed the tomatoes, to keep them from making the salad soggy. Also add 1 seeded chopped cucumber. I use Good Seasons salad dressing mix, which I make with white balsamic vinegar instead of white vinegar. This dressing can also be used it to marinate the chicken prior to cooking the chicken. Leave the dressing on the side to let everyone add their own preferred amount, and the salad doesn’t get soggy if the are leftovers.