Jarb’s Chopped Salad

Picture the humble salad: oft-relegated to the side, the perpetual bridesmaid of the food world. It's high time we brought it front and center, elevated it to the status of culinary rockstar. Enter stage right, our Hearty Chopped Salad, no shy wallflower, but a blazing lead guitarist in a meal's lineup. It's a crazy band of diverse characters – mixed greens, avocado, chicken, bacon, and cheese – belting out a medley of flavors, each player riffing off the others, blending in a harmony of gastronomic delight.

Now, for a dish with such star power, the salad's origins are surprisingly simple. Picture the humblest of kitchens – home cooks tossing together what they've got on hand, creating an edible mosaic. It's folk art on a plate. Every ingredient struts its stuff, but the real scene-stealer is the rotisserie chicken. It's like Keith Richards with a guitar, bringing depth and meaty satisfaction to the symphony of flavors. Add in the blue cheese, the Janis Joplin of the dairy world, delivering a powerful performance, hitting high notes with its sharp, tangy kick.

The dressing, a citrus vinaigrette, is the maestro conducting this wild orchestra. It's bright and zesty, breaking through the rich, bold tones of the salad components, offering that perfect acidic counterpoint. The result? A salad that takes center stage. It's a culinary headliner, hitting the high notes, and grounding the bassline in perfect harmony. The Hearty Chopped Salad is not just another dish; it's a gastronomic experience – vibrant, boisterous, and unapologetically delicious. So here's to the rule breakers, the salad shakers, and to taking gastronomy to the edge of glory.🤘🏼 Adam

Yield: 4-6 servings

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Jarb's Chopped Salad

Cook time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min

Ingredients

Chopped Salad

• 8-10 cups of mixed greens (kale, romaine, iceberg, spinach, etc.), roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 Cucumber, diced
• 1 Avocado, diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
• 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 5 slices of bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
• 2 cups rotisserie chicken meat, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup tortilla strips

Simple Salad Dressing

• Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
• Juice and zest of 1 large orange
• 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar (you could also use white wine vinegar or balsamic for different flavor profiles)
• 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup (optional, for sweetness)
• 1 garlic clove, minced (optional, for a bit of a kick)
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Chopped Salad

1. Add the frozen peas to a cup and fill with warm water, allow the peas to thaw for about 5 minutes, do the same with the frozen corn. Strain the water from the peas and corn, then set aside.
2. Meanwhile, with clean hands, pull the meat off of the cooked rotisserie chicken until you have 2-3 cups. This can be white meat, dark meat or a mixture thereof. Set the meat aside for now.
3. Add the mixed greens, dill and cilantro to a large serving bowl and toss to combine. In sectioned areas, atop the herby greens, place the cucumber, avocado, cherry tomatoes, scallions, blue cheese, bacon, thawed peas, thawed corn, and pulled chicken. Top with crunchy tortillas strips. Top the cold/raw veggies with a tiny pinch of salt each.
4. At this point you can dress the salad and eat immediately, or wait to dress the salad, cover it with a moist paper towel and put it in the fridge for up to 2 hours.

Simple Salad Dressing

1. In a small bowl, combine the citrus juices and zests. Add the vinegar to the bowl. If using, add the honey or maple syrup and minced garlic to the bowl.
2. While whisking the mixture, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue to whisk until the vinaigrette is well combined. This emulsion process will help to meld the flavors together and prevent the oil and vinegar from separating. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Give it one last whisk and it's ready to use! Just remember to give it a good stir or shake before each use as natural separation will occur.

Adam's Notes

• This "recipe" is designed to take shortcuts and use commonly available pre-cooked ingredients to make your life easier.
• Feel free to sub in/out any ingredients you'd like. Jarb and I call this a "fridge-clearer" meaning we add any and all leftovers to the mix if they fit the bill.
• Don't forget to season the individual components with a pinch of salt. All food needs seasoning, especially raw/cold veggies.
• Remember, do NOT dress the salad until you're ready to eat it. Nobody like soggy salad. Keep it crisp and wait to dress/toss until the last minute.