If you’ve ever dined at Portillo’s, you know their famous chopped salad is more than just a side—it’s the main event! Packed with crisp lettuce, smoky bacon, tender chicken, and pasta (yes, pasta in a salad!), it’s hearty, flavorful, and downright addictive.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Good news: you don’t have to make a trip to Chicago to enjoy this windy city classic. This homemade version gives you all the restaurant flavors with simple ingredients right from your kitchen.
- Restaurant flavor at home – It tastes just like Portillo’s, but you control the ingredients.
- Perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd – It makes a big bowl and holds up well for gatherings.
- Totally customizable – Whether you’re going low-carb, vegetarian, or dairy-free, you can tweak it to fit your needs.
- Farm family approved – It’s filling, fresh, and gets rave reviews from even picky eaters!
Check out this lemon orzo salad, too!
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🛒 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need from the pantry, fridge or grocery store.
- Romaine hearts – Chopped them small for that classic chopped salad vibe.
- Red cabbage – Adds color and crunch.
- Cooked chicken – Rotisserie, grilled, or leftover chicken all work.
- Ditalini pasta – The pasta that makes this salad extra hearty. Sub with orzo or elbow macaroni if needed.
- Bacon – Thick-cut and cooked crispy is best to add some extra crunch. I like to cook bacon in the oven or air fryer.
- Cherry tomatoes – Halved for juiciness and a little sweetness in this salad.
- Gorgonzola cheese – Crumbly and tangy are the tastes here, but blue cheese, feta, or parmesan will work too. Tip: Crumble your own cheese for better texture and taste.
- Green onions – For a mild oniony bite. Trust me, it makes a difference.
Substitution note: Want it vegetarian? Skip the chicken and bacon and add chickpeas or avocado.
There's a tangy vinegrette dressing that goes on top that is to die for! See recipe card for quantities.
🥣 How to Make Portillo’s Chopped Salad
This is a chopped salad, so the smaller the pieces, the better the texture. Use a sharp knife, or a food processor works well for the cabbage. Even-sized pieces mean you’ll get a little bit of everything in every bite.
- Step 1: Whisk the dressing
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Toss it all together
In a large bowl, combine everything: lettuce, cabbage, chicken, pasta, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, and onions. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well.
Enjoy immediately, or let it chill for 10–15 minutes to let the flavors blend.
Make Ahead Tip
Prepping ahead? Make the dressing ahead of time. Keep the bacon, cheese, and dressing separate and toss everything just before serving.
📋 Variations
Here’s how you can make this salad your own:
- Different dressing – Swap in a balsamic vinaigrette or ranch for a totally different twist.
- Low-carb – Skip the pasta or replace it with riced cauliflower or chopped veggies.
- Vegetarian – Leave out the bacon and chicken, and sub in chickpeas, white beans, or avocado.
- Dairy-free – Skip the cheese (only if you must!) or try a dairy-free alternative.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Round out this meal with a starch and some vegetables for a complete meal. The This salad is a full meal on its own, but here are some ways to round it out:
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As a side – Serve alongside grilled meats or burgers at a BBQ.
Butttermilk Cornbread Muffins make an awesome side, too!
Grilled or air fryer corn on the cob – Summery and sweet.
Soup and salad combo – Pair with a light tomato soup or chicken broth-based soup.
Tips for success
Use flavorful chicken – Rotisserie or grilled adds more flavor than plain boiled chicken.
Let the dressing sit for 15 minutes before using so the flavors blend.
Toss before serving – For the freshest crunch, toss with dressing right before serving.
Storage
This salad is best eaten fresh, but here’s how to make it work for later:
Leftover dressing: Store extra dressing in the fridge for up to a week. Shake well before using!
Undressed: Store salad ingredients and dressing separately in airtight containers. Salad will keep up to 2 days.
Dressed: Once dressed, it’s best eaten within 24 hours. The bacon and lettuce will start to soften.
FAQ
It’s all about the combination! The mix of crisp lettuce, chewy pasta, smoky bacon, tangy Gorgonzola, and sweet tomatoes—plus that zippy vinaigrette—hits all the flavor and texture notes. It’s a full meal in one bowl.
Definitely. In fact, it tastes better if you do! Make it up to a week ahead and store in the fridge in a sealed jar. Just shake it up before using.
Tried Portillo's Chopped Salad recipe at home? I’d love to hear how it turned out! ⭐
Drop a star rating and a quick comment below—it not only helps others but totally makes my day. 😊🍽️
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Portillo's chopped salad:
Recipe
Portillo's Chopped Salad at Home
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Ingredients
- 3 romaine hearts chopped
- ½ cup red cabbage chopped
- 2 cups grilled or rotisserie chicken cooked and cubed
- 2 cups ditalini pasta cooked al dente
- 1 cup thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook 2 cups ditalini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Cook 1 cup thick cut bacon until crispy, then crumble and set aside.
- Chop 3 romaine hearts and ½ cup red cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
- Halve 1 cup cherry tomatoes and thinly slice green onions.
- Cube 2 cups grilled or rotisserie chicken.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, red cabbage, cooked chicken, ditalini pasta, bacon, cherry tomatoes, 1 cup Gorgonzola cheese, and 2 green onions.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk well until fully combined and set aside
- Drizzle with the prepared dressing and toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately, or let the flavors meld for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Substitutions:
- Ditalini pasta – Sub with orzo or elbow macaroni if needed.
- Bacon – Thick-cut and cooked crispy is best to add some extra crunch. I like to cook bacon in the oven or air fryer.
- Gorgonzola cheese – Blue cheese, feta, or parmesan will work too. Tip: Crumble your own cheese for better texture and taste.
Tips:
Use flavorful chicken – Rotisserie or grilled adds more flavor than plain boiled chicken. Let the dressing sit for 15 minutes before using so the flavors blend. Toss before serving – For the freshest crunch, toss with dressing right before serving. Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day (best eaten fresh).Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories and other nutritional values vary depending on which brands were used.
Jennifer says
I love Portillo’s salad but it’s too far to drive. This is an excellent reproduction. It’s going to be a great way to use leftover turkey!
PJH says
Just like the restaurant! I used blu cheese in place of gorgonzola. Was a huge hit.
Deanne Frieders says
Yum!!! Any cheese is good cheese, if you ask me! 😉