Elizabeth’s Chopped Recipe

Prepare romaine and vegetables

Wash and dry the romaine hearts thoroughly. Roughly chop into bite-sized pieces until you have about 6 cups packed. Place in a large salad bowl.

Prep cucumber and peppers

Peel the cucumber if desired, halve lengthwise and scoop seeds if watery, then dice to yield ~1 cup. Slice roasted red peppers into 1/2" strips and add to the bowl.

Drain and quarter the artichoke hearts and add to the bowl. Rinse and drain canned chickpeas and add. Pit and halve the olives if not already pitted and add. Add whole or halved pepperoncini to taste (remove seeds for less heat). Toss gently to combine.

Make ciabatta croutons

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Tear ciabatta into roughly 1/2–3/4" pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tsp kosher salt on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast 8–10 minutes until golden and crisp, turning once. Cool slightly, then crush roughly with your hands or pulse once in a food processor to create coarse crumbs/croutons.

Add Grana Padano

Finely grate or shave Grana Padano so you have about 1 cup. Hold back 2–3 tablespoons for garnish.

Add the croutons and most of the cheese to the salad bowl, reserving the garnish amount.

Whisk the dressing

In a small bowl or jar combine 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey (or sugar), 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar until emulsified. Taste and adjust acidity/salt as needed.

If you prefer a creamier vinaigrette, blend briefly with an immersion blender or use 1–2 tbsp more oil to mellow acidity.

Pour about 3–4 tablespoons of the Italian vinaigrette over the salad (reserve extra to serve). Toss gently but thoroughly so the vegetables, chickpeas, and croutons are evenly coated. Add more dressing to taste; the full vinaigrette recipe yields ~3/4 cup—use what you need and save the rest.

Scatter the remaining Grana Padano over the top and finish with a few reserved whole or crushed ciabatta croutons for texture. Taste and adjust with an extra pinch of salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon if desired.

Serve immediately so the croutons remain crisp.