Looking for an Italian chopped chicken salad that’s delicious and easy to make. We’ve got the perfect recipe for you. Keep reading.
This Italian chopped chicken salad is perfect on its own, but once you have it in your fridge the ways to use it are endless. Let us share a few:
Add it to your sandwich on top of your favourite spread – maybe butter, mayonnaise or one of our Authentic Italian Spreads.
Add it to a portion of rice, pack it into your lunch box and you’ve made yourself a high protein wholesome meal.
Pack it into your lunchbox and take a wrap to enjoy with it. You could add some cottage cheese or chop a boiled egg for extra protein.
Cook some fusilli or farfalle, add your chicken salad, and you’ve made a quick healthy pasta salad.
Serve it on top of a bed of your favourite salad leaves – maybe some arugula or baby spinach.
Make grilled cheesy panini with it – just add the salad, a few sliced of your favourite melting cheese, and grill it to perfection.
Stuff iceberg salad leaves with your chicken salad, add some cottage cheese, and enjoy some low calories wraps.
Top your plain Pizza Margherita with this.
Take a spoon or two as a mid-morning or afternoon snack, with a carrot or on top of a rye cracker.
You can even enjoy it as a dip, especially if you’ve cut everything really small, with crisps or tarallini. It could be an addition to your gracing board, or a quick meal while you watch a game.
What ingredients do you put in chicken salad?
The options are many, but here are the ingredients we are putting into our Italian chopped chicken salad:
1 chicken breast
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Italian mixed herbs
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
Balsamic vinegar
Sundried tomatoes
Black olives
Grated parmesan
Optional: finely diced celery and carrots
What is the best way to chop chicken for chicken salad?
The best way to chop chicken for a chicken salad is to first cook the chicken thoroughly until it’s no longer pink in the middle. Allow it to cool down before handling. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes. This shape and size make the chicken easy to eat and distribute evenly throughout the salad.
How to give chicken salad more flavor?
To give your Italian chopped chicken salad more flavor, marinate the chicken breast in a mixture of EVOO, minced garlic, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper before cooking. You can also increase the flavor by adding more herbs and spices to the salad, or using a flavorful cheese like parmesan. The sundried tomatoes and black olives will also provide a punch of flavor.
How long does chicken salad last in the fridge?
Chicken salad can last in the refrigerator for 3 days if it’s stored correctly. Make sure to place it in an airtight container and keep it chilled. If the salad contains mayonnaise, it may not last as long. Always trust your senses – if it smells or looks off, it’s best to throw it away.
Easy Italian Chopped Chicken Salad Recipe
We’ve given you plenty of ideas on how to use this gorgeous chicken salad, and we’ve also answered the most common questions. All is left now, is for us to show you how to make it. So let’s do that!
Pre-heat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes.
Add your chicken breast to a dish with foil, season it with salt and pepper. Bake in the lower level of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on how big your chicken breast is. I suggest flipping your chicken breast half way through.Baking it at the bottom of your oven will create steam, make the chicken cook slowly and come out moist and juicy.
In the meantime, you can chop all your ingredients - the garlic, the black olives, the sun dried tomatoes, the celery, and the carrot.
I suggest taking this extra step to add more flavour to your chopped chicken salad. Sauté the chopped garlic, carrot and celery in a pan with a drizzle of EVOO. You can let them fully cook, or just sauté them for 5 minutes until their flavour comes out. Once ready, take them off the heat and leave them in the pan.
Prepare your Italian dressing by mixing the EVOO and balsamic in a small bowl.
When your chicken breast is cooked, chop it immediately and add to your empty salad bowl. You can add the ingredients immediately or wait 10 to 15 minutes.
Add all the ingredients, including the chopped sun dried tomatoes and olives, and the sautéed carrot and celery.
Next, add the grated parmesan and mixed herbs.
Drizzle the Italian dressing you made and mix well.
Enjoy immediately, or store it in the fridge for the next two to three days.