Portillo's-Style Chopped Salad
By Amanda LuchtelPublished on December 18, 2024
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 garlic clove, minced1½ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta1 teaspoon pepper, divided½ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ cup vegetable oil ¾ cup ditalini 6 slices bacon, chopped2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed12 ounces romaine lettuce hearts, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)6 ounces red cabbage, cut into ½-inch pieces2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped (1 cup)4 scallions, sliced thin4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Instructions
- Whisk honey, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and oregano in large bowl until smooth. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil until evenly combined.
- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add pasta and 1½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender throughout, 2 to 3 minutes past al dente. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water until chilled. Drain well. Transfer pasta to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Let pasta mixture sit at room temperature until flavors meld, about 30 minutes.
- Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until well browned and crispy, 9 to 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat bacon fat left in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place chicken in skillet and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until chicken is well browned on both sides and registers 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces.
- Add lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, scallions, Gorgonzola, bacon, and chicken to bowl with pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes restingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup ditalini
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
12 ounces romaine lettuce hearts, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
6 ounces red cabbage, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped (1 cup)
4 scallions, sliced thin
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup ditalini
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
12 ounces romaine lettuce hearts, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
6 ounces red cabbage, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped (1 cup)
4 scallions, sliced thin
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
1 teaspoon pepper, divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup ditalini
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
12 ounces romaine lettuce hearts, cut into ½-inch pieces (4 cups)
6 ounces red cabbage, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped (1 cup)
4 scallions, sliced thin
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Chopped salads are filled with a variety of ingredients to create a well-rounded meal. For this salad, inspired by Portillo’s original chopped salad in Chicago, we included chopped romaine lettuce for a mild base and red cabbage for added crunch. Crisp bacon and chicken (which we cooked in the rendered bacon fat) added flavor and heft, along with marinated ditalini pasta, diced tomatoes, Gorgonzola cheese, and scallions. The sweet and creamy vinaigrette helped balance the savory bacon and pungent blue cheese.
Instructions
- Whisk honey, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and oregano in large bowl until smooth. Whisking constantly, drizzle in oil until evenly combined.
- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add pasta and 1½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until pasta is tender throughout, 2 to 3 minutes past al dente. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water until chilled. Drain well. Transfer pasta to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Let pasta mixture sit at room temperature until flavors meld, about 30 minutes.
- Cook bacon in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until well browned and crispy, 9 to 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat bacon fat left in skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place chicken in skillet and cook, flipping every 2 minutes, until chicken is well browned on both sides and registers 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces.
- Add lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, scallions, Gorgonzola, bacon, and chicken to bowl with pasta and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
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