Fried Chicken Chopped Salad Recipe
Delicious, perfectly fried chicken served with tomato, cucumber, red onion, hearts of palm, blue cheese, bacon, baby lettuces and a red wine vinaigrette. Available on the lunch menu.
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Ingredients
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Fried Chicken
Salad
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Method
Fried Chicken
- 1
Prep chicken
Slice the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch thick strips or bite-sized pieces (about 1/2–1 inch). Pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
Marinate
Place the chicken pieces in a bowl with the buttermilk and hot sauce (if using). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. This tenderizes and flavors the chicken.
- 3
Make dredge
In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- 4
Egg wash
In a separate bowl, beat the egg lightly. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk (letting excess drip off) and dip pieces first into the egg, then press into the flour mixture to coat completely. For extra-crispy chicken, double-dip: back into the buttermilk briefly, then into the flour again.
- 5
Heat oil & fry
Pour oil into a large heavy skillet (cast iron preferred) to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat over medium-high until it registers 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in 30–40 seconds. Fry chicken in batches without crowding, 2–3 minutes per side for strips (longer for thicker pieces) until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain; keep warm in a 200°F oven if cooking in batches.
Salad
- 6
Prepare vegetables & toppings
While chicken marinates or fries, chop the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup), slice the cucumber into half-moons (about 1/2 cup), thinly slice the red onion into rings and separate (about 1/4 cup), and slice the hearts of palm into 1/4-inch coins (1/2 cup). Chop the cooked bacon into small pieces and crumble the blue cheese.
- 7
Assemble greens
Place 6 cups of mixed baby lettuces in a large bowl or divide among serving plates. Scatter the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, hearts of palm, crumbled blue cheese, and chopped bacon evenly over the greens.
- 8
Add chicken
Cut fried chicken strips into bite-sized pieces if needed and arrange on top of the composed salad while still warm for best texture.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 9
Make vinaigrette
In a small jar or bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced shallot, minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly stream in the 1/3 cup olive oil while whisking (or add and shake jar vigorously) until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning (add more salt, pepper, or a touch more honey if too sharp).
- 10
Dress salad
Just before serving, drizzle the vinaigrette over the assembled salads (about 2–3 tablespoons per serving) and toss lightly to coat, or serve the vinaigrette on the side. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of crumbled blue cheese and bacon if desired.
