Lemon Chicken Chopped Salad Recipe
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This refreshing Lemon Chicken Chopped Salad Recipe is jam-packed with vegetables, marinated grilled chicken, and lettuce in a simple soy-vinegar vinaigrette. My family loves this salad, and we usually make some variation of it once a week.
If you enjoy big hearty salads, especially during the summer, you might want to try my Horiatiki or my classic Cobb salad. Both are loaded with fresh ingredients and make a satisfying meal on their own. And today, I’m sharing this lemon chicken chopped salad recipe, oh-so delicious!
Lemon Chicken Chopped Salad
Chopped salads, or as some people call them, “chop salads,” are a combination of fresh small, diced vegetables and protein that are tossed together with chopped lettuce and served up with a salad dressing.
The chopped salad was said to be created by Jean Leon of La Scala restaurant in Hollywood in the 1950s. It has since evolved in a myriad of ways and can be completely customized to your liking.
There are so many wonderful fresh veggies in season that this salad is probably on the high end of how many things are in it, but I just couldn’t resist when I was at the grocery store. While my salad is best to be made in the summer. Chopped salads can be altered depending on the seasonality of the vegetables.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken – I used my chicken marinade recipe that has lemon in it.
- Vinaigrette – Almost any vinaigrette will work on this recipe. However, I made a very simple 4 ingredient soy and vinegar-based vinaigrette that perfectly complements this salad.
- Lettuce – I prefer to use romaine lettuce, and green leaf or butter leaf lettuce will also work.
- Vegetables – This is subjective, but I like to use bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, radishes, corn, and celery. You can use a few vegetables or a lot. Use what you have and what’s in season.
How to Make a Lemon Chicken Chopped Salad
Cook the chicken: First thing I do is add two tablespoons of my preferred cooking oil to a large frying pan over medium heat and let it heat up for about a minute. Then, I place the chicken in the pan and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes per side until it’s golden brown and cooked through. I always watch closely because the chicken can brown quickly, and if I see that happening, I turn the heat down to medium-low. Once the chicken is cooked, I remove it from the pan and slice it.
Chop the lettuce: Then, I chop the romaine and green leaf lettuce into small, bite-sized pieces.
Prepare the vegetables: Next, I dice the peppers, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, radishes, celery, and trim the corn off the cobs. I like to keep everything small and even so the salad has a good mix of textures and is easy to eat.
Make the vinaigrette: I add the olive oil, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, and honey to a container with a lid. Then, I give it a good shake until everything is well mixed and set it aside until I’m ready to dress the salad.
Assemble the salad: I start by adding the chopped lettuce to a large bowl. Then, I arrange all the diced vegetables and sliced chicken evenly over the top so everything looks colorful and inviting.
Garnish the salad: I finish the salad by sprinkling on the sunflower seeds, sliced green onions, and, if I have them, a handful of microgreens for a fresh touch.
Chef Tips + Notes
I highly recommend for making my lemon chicken chopped salad to let the chicken marinate overnight. Every time I do, the chicken comes out extra tender and full of flavor, and it makes a big difference compared to a quick marinade.
- Watch the heat: When I’m cooking the chicken, I keep an eye on the heat since it can brown quickly. If I notice it getting too dark, I just turn the heat down to medium-low.
- Chop everything small: I like to dice all the vegetables into small, even pieces. It makes the salad easier to toss and ensures every bite has a little bit of everything.
- Dress right before serving: I keep the vinaigrette separate until I’m ready to serve. This keeps the lettuce crisp and the salad fresh.
- Make it your own: I swap out veggies depending on what’s in season or what I have in the fridge. This salad is super flexible, and I love how easy it is to change things up.
Serving Suggestions
When I make this lemon chicken chopped salad, I love serving it with a warm slice of my French bread and a bowl of my creamy corn chowder to make it a full meal.
If I’m going for something lighter, I’ll throw some grilled salmon on the side or toss a few roasted red potatoes in the oven.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this chopped salad up to 1 day before. Just be sure it is not yet mixed with the dressing. In addition, it would be best to keep the ingredients separate.
How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator undressed for up to 3 days. This will not freeze. The salad could last 1 to 2 days longer if you keep the topping ingredients stored separately.
More Salad Recipes
Lemon Chicken Chopped Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 8-12 ounces each
- 1 chicken marinated recipe
For the Soy Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup olive or avocado oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons ed wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
For the Chopped Salad:
- 1 head of small diced romaine lettuce
- 1 head of small diced green leaf lettuce
- 1 seeded and small diced red bell peppers
- 1 seeded and small diced yellow bell pepper
- ½ seeded and small diced cucumber
- ½ peeled and small diced sweet onion
- 1 ½ cups of small diced cherry tomatoes
- 2 shredded carrots
- 4 small diced radishes
- 4 small diced stalks of celery
- 2 trimmed cooked ears of corn
- sunflower seeds and sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Chicken: Place all ingredients into a plastic bag and mix until completely combined and marinate in your refrigerator overnight or for at least 12 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade to a hot pan over medium-high heat and sear the chicken on both sides until golden brown and cooked throughout, about 6 minutes per side. Slice and set aside.
- Vinaigrette: Add all ingredients to a container with a lid and shake until emulsified. Set aside.
- To Plate: Add the lettuce to a large bowl and evenly sprinkle on or fan out all of the small diced vegetables and sliced chicken.
- Garnish with the sunflower seeds and green onions.
So delicious
FANTASTIC!!!!!
thanks!
LOVE ME A GOOOOOOD SALAD 💜
This one was AMAZING !
so good!!