Portillo’s Chopped Salad – Copycat Recipe
This Portillo’s Chopped Salad – Copycat Recipe is just like the restaurant’s version. It’s a hearty pasta and green salad combined. A perfect finished dish to bring to a family gathering or a potluck at work. Watch for an upcoming blog with my family’s Italian Beef recipe. You will think you are eating at Portillo’s.
I will mention that the restaurant’s dressing is a bit sharp for my taste, so I have modified it slightly.
Adding both Romaine and Iceberg lettuce, along with the Red Cabbage gives this salad plenty of color, crunch and texture. The Ditalini Pasta is a great way to make this dish stretch further and works so well with this salad.
This dish is easy to make, you can prepare everything the day before, cook and dice your chicken, cook and crumble the bacon and prepare the rest of the toppings. Make the salad dressing and refrigerate. Then just combine everything the next day.
Try my Lemon Vinaigrette for an alternate Salad Dressing.
If you like my Portillo’s Chopped Salad – Copycat Recipe, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you made it, post your wonderful images on Instagram and tag me. Don’t forget to subscribe and you will be emailed each time I post a new recipe.
Portillo's Chopped Salad - Copycat Recipe
Always a favorite for a family gathering or potluck. A perfect copycat recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked Ditalini Pasta
- 1 pound bacon, crumbled
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
- 2 cups chopped red cabbage
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1 cup green onions, sliced
- 1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
Directions
- Step 1 Cook the Ditalini pasta according to the instructions on the package. Make sure you add olive oil and kosher salt to the water. Drain and cool. Set aside.
- Step 2 Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Crumble.
- Step 3 In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, iceberg, and red cabbage.
- Step 4 Add the tomatoes and sliced green onions.
- Step 5 Add the cooled pasta, bacon, and Gorgonzola cheese. Mix thoroughly. (Optional: Add the cooked and diced chicken if desired).
- Step 6 Add the dressing right before serving or leave it on the side for the quests to use.
NOTE: I like to keep the sliced green onions and Gorgonzola crumbles on the side and allow the guest to add them to the top of the salad. This way they don’t get lost when mixed together.
Italian Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 package Sweet'N Low (or 1 teaspoon sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed marjoram
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Whisk together the olive oil, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, Sweet’N Low, crushed marjoram, kosher salt, and freshly ground back pepper.
- Step 2 Taste. Adjust as needed.
- Step 3 Refrigerate for a least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 4 Whisk before serving.
Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
An easy Lemon Herb Vinaigrette. Perfect for salads, roasts, vegetables and pasta.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 packet sweet-n-low
- 1/2 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 to 1/4 freshly ground black pepper
- couple of pinches dried, crushed parsley
- lemon zest
- orange zest
Directions
- Step 1 Juice your lemons, removing any seeds. Place in a medium size bowl.
- Step 2 Mince the garlic, add to the lemon juice. Add sweet-n-low, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried crushed parsley, lemon and orange zest. Whisk to combine.
- Step 3 Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to make an emulsion.
- Step 4 Taste. Adjust as needed.
- Step 5 Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Step 6 Whisk before serving.
