Chopped Chicken Salad.
I think I am losing my marbles, because the past few weeks I have been craving salads.
I’m sure it has to do with the eagerness I feel for Spring to arrive, and have been hoping a fresh, crisp salad can hold me over until the mild weather finally returns.
Of course, salads to me don’t mean loads of veggies. The mean loads of cheese, nuts, avocado, and crunchy things like tortilla chips hidden inside. They would also mean bacon, but since I gave that up for Lent, I was not able to include it in this salad.
Trust me – that was more difficult than it sounds. I even had the bacon out on the counter.
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I love chopped salads. I love the crispy crunch you get with each bite, and the brightness of all the different flavors.
The highlight of this salad for me was the corn and the avocado. I almost added some crunchy blue corn tortilla chips, but decided against it.
I think they would make a fabulous addition and they could even be used to ‘scoop’ up the salad.
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I also added some dried cherries, which is one of my favorite dried fruits. Dried cherries remind me of spending summers in Northern Michigan on the lake, and each time I eat them I am magically transported there.
Another favorite dried fruit to add to salads? Figs. I eat them by the bucket-full.
I also added 2 different kinds of cheese, because one is just never enough for me. On this salad, the cheese came in the form of gorgonzola and smoked cheddar.
Could you honestly pick your favorite cheese?
I can’t. One day I think it is gorgonzola. Then it’s asiago. Then it’s gruyere. I just can’t decide.
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If my thigh’s had to choose their favorite cheese, I am pretty sure it would be no cheese. They are begging me to stop eating it. I hear voices.
‘Jessica, please step away from the cheese.’
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Chopped Chicken Salad
1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
2 cups chopped romaine or green leaf lettuce
6 oz grilled chicken, chopped
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup sweet corn
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries
1 oz crumbled gorgonzola
1 oz smoked cheddar cheese, chopped
sea salt & pepper to taste
Add all ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly. Mix with dressing if desired.
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Like a true 5-year old, Mr. How Sweet could not eat the salad with avocado in it. Although, I am sure I left a piece in there somewhere that he did eat. He did eat the dried cherries, though. His tastebuds are moving up in the world.
53 Comments on “Chopped Chicken Salad.”
mmmm, Jess, I loove salads like that. They are so filling and there’s so much variety I can’t get bored. I love that you added figs.
As far as cheese goes, I can’t discriminate. Any cheese is good cheese by my standards.
Have a great day!
I love chopped salads too! I’m sure this tastes as wonderful as it looks.
mmm i love chopped salad. there’s one (it’s an “appetizer” on the menu) at cheesecake factory that has apples in it-yum!
I love chopped salads as well. Yours looks great! I love avocado in salads. They make them so creamy!
Chopped salads are one of my favorites! I love everything can be included in one bite! Oh, and I also love how I can get a taste of dressing in each bite :)
I think avocado + red onion make ANY salad better :)
YUM! I love dried cherries- they are amazing. I always put them in granola. I would totally make this salad for me with black beans instead of chicken. Love a big ole crisp salad
My taste buds are craving a meat lovers pizza. I will forego the bacon to support your Lenten promise.
i LOVE dried cherries and anything cherry! I was just telling my roomate that I want to make cherry jam! yes homemade jam! maybe you could make it first then I could steal the recipes?? just sayin… ;)
that salad looks awesome! love all of the flavors in there!
Mmm! Looks so fresh! Delish :)
Look awesome…very fresh and colorful! I love avacado in my salad…takes it to a whole new level! :)
I love a chopped salad….and don’t eat them enough. My favorite cheese is probably good ‘ol cheddar. Although, I really haven’t met a cheese I didn’t like.
love salads! it looks so refreshing, yum! I’m a big fan of dried cranberries, goat cheese and walnuts on salads :)
Did you make it without dressing? It sounds great!!
I love regular salad but they’re so much more fun to eat chopped, even if they’re not as pretty. (well mine aren’t as pretty. Yours are!)
I use only vinegar on my salads as I don’t really like dressing, but my hubby used Caesar. ;)
haha this is so funny :) this sounds amazing, and no, i do not think i could ever pick one favorite cheese. it’s all so amazing!
I now have what looks like a cheese drawer in my fridge…all because of your recipes! And no, I can’t choose my favorite cheese, that’d be torture!
OMG that salad looks so good! Way better than my uninspired attempts at salad lately. I’m totally trying this!!
This looks awesome!
And on a side note, just going to throw this out there: Your blog theme song should be something catchy, like, “An Ode to Bacon and Cheese.” ;)
Veggies?! You?! What is the world coming to?
That is one lovely chicken salad. A great combination of flavors and textures too!
Your thighs are strong and beautiful. Any cheese for them is a good cheese :)
This looks and sounds restaurant quality!
I love all sharp and spicy cheeses- the only kind I don’t like is blue cheese- how very unrefined of me!
Yes for chicken salads. My husband gags if there is a hint of fruit in his salads – dried or otherwise. Maybe I would be able to trick him with this…
YUM! I agree that salads need extra “fixings” other than just veggies! I love chopped salads, too. I definitely would have added the bacon though ;) But good for you with sticking to your commitment. Blue corn chips do sound like a great addition as well!
Hope you are doing alright, Jessica, and finding some comfort and peace in this sad time :/ Hugs.
I know exactly what you mean about cheese! I would be 20 pounds thinner if I didn’t eat cheese. That salad looks awesome. I bet it would go really well in a roll up.
That’s my kind of salad!
What a beautiful salad! I almost thought I was looking at the wrong blog for a sec ;)
I sure can choose my favorite cheese. FETA!!
gorgeous! my idea of a perfect salad – i want one for my lunch today!
Beautiful pictures!
There’s a restaurant by my house that does a very similar salad except they fry the chicken strips (!) and use dates. It is definitely an occasional splurge salad but ohhhhhh it is good. Yours looks like a great one for every day!
“I think I am losing my marbles, because the past few weeks I have been craving salads.”
Hey, you’re gonna be a raw vegan in no time :)
Minus the meat, how you just ate is dinner for me 99% of the time. I never get sick of it, I just rotate the veggies in and out!
That salad looks like my kinda salad!! Did you put any dressing on top? It looks so good that it really doesn’t even need any!! :)
I really love any salad, but it’s really complete with avocado and cheese. Those two are a must have for me. Lately I have been loving goat cheese, but right now my obsession is ricotta salata. Have you had that? to die for!
That sounds fantastic girl! I love big salads like that.. and some of my favorite ingredients!!!
I love chopped salad too, so easy but so yummy~~~ :)
I agree, chopped salads are where its at! Love getting a little bit of everything in each bite. :)
I would totally do the blue corn chips. My favorite Mexican dish in the whole world is New Mexico style blue corn chicken enchiladas with the queso blanco and red sauce with black beans and corn or real thick refried beans and an egg on top….Oh mamacita. Whenever we go to Jason’s Deli, I always get the Club Lite–b/c it’s piled with meat (not bread) and it comes with blue corn tortilla chips….
Sorry, I drooled.
And ask me anything you like!
Salads???? What’s happening to you my friend?
Favorite cheese would be anything that’s not blue or the one that I can’t afford at Whole Foods.
Hey, I have the same taste in salads! The more “goodies” the better! (Hold the lettuce LOL). That chopped chicken salad looks out of this world.
LOL – when I met my husband there was a very long list of things he wouldn’t eat … over the years he has completely expanded his tastes, and now he even eats broccoli – *gasp*!
Oh by far my fave salads are chopped. I almost ALWAYS ask restaurants to chop my salads for me in the kitchen- even if they are not labeled as chopped. They always hesitate for a second, as if to think hard about what I’m asking, and then they say “sure!”. It’s so funny to see their reactioN!
Hope you’re staying strong. :-)
I’m the same way, I haven’t met a cheese I didn’t like and just when I think I’ve found my favorite, I fall in love with a different one the next day. :lol: Your salad looks awesome, yum!
Jenn
What an awesome looking salad! It’s so colourful!
Now that’s my kind of salad! I’ve been craving salads, too. It’s time to get choppin!
This does look fantastic!! I might have to make salad for dinner tonight! Your grilled chicken looks wonderful!
Blessings-
Amanda
This post has inspired my lunch for today. I loooove throwing lots of things on top of greens! There’s such satisfaction to getting a mishmash of flavors and textures in every bite. Thanks!
oh yum! Now you got me craving a salad just like this one!!!
This salad looks delishy; I looove me a big hearty salad…have a great night!
This is definitely my kind of salad! I love chopped chicken salads… especially with avocado :)
I am so happy to hear that you opted for the cheese. The good thing is a little goes a long way when it comes to a strongly flavored cheese like gorgonzola or blue. In my book cheese is a keeper.