Italian Chopped Salad with Chicken

Total Time Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Yield 8 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
Don’t let the ingredient list fool you—this summery chicken salad is so simple! Prepare it in the morning; let it chill all day; and then toss with the dressing right before you serve it. For another spin, I sometimes add fresh grilled corn. —Daniel Anderson, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Ingredients

  • 1/4 pound sliced pancetta or bacon strips, chopped
  • DRESSING:
  • 3 tablespoons prepared pesto
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • SALAD:
  • 10 cups iceberg lettuce blend
  • 1 cup cubed rotisserie chicken
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup canned black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup cubed pepper Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients; sprinkle with pancetta. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 228 calories, 16g fat (5g saturated fat), 41mg cholesterol, 522mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 15g protein.

Don’t let the ingredient list fool you—this summery chicken salad is so simple! Prepare it in the morning; let it chill all day; and then toss with the dressing right before you serve it. For another spin, I sometimes add fresh grilled corn. —Daniel Anderson, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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