this Chopped Antipasto Salad with Grilled Chicken Featuring a refreshing and delicious antipasto salad base paired with juicy grilled chicken. Packed with veggies, protein, healthy fats, and fiber, this is a filling meal that's easy to make!
gluten free, Eggless, Nut free, low carband paleo friendlyitâs a bit like eating an Italian sandwich without bread!
What is an antipasto salad?
In Italian, the word antipasti refers specifically to a pre-dinner dish, usually consisting of sliced ââmeat, vegetables, olives and mushrooms tossed in an oil or vinegar dressing. However, when using it in this recipe, I am referring to an American antipasto salad, which consists of cured meats and vegetables.
It has all the ingredients of an Italian appetizer, but with the addition of marinated grilled chicken, it gives it a richer flavor. So it serves as a complete meal, not just an appetizer! So this salad is perfect for potlucks and picnics, but it also makes a quick weeknight dinner.
Required ingredients and substitutions
*Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list!
for chicken
- Extra virgin olive oil: This forms the base of the marinade and helps the ingredients adhere to the chicken and keep it tender.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, sea salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes create a herby, salty flavor with just a little heat.
- garlic: For the best flavor, use fresh garlic cloves rather than pre-chopped garlic!
- chicken: This recipe calls for 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Chicken drumsticks would also work well if you prefer. Be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed.
salad
- Extra virgin olive oil: This forms the base of the dressing, binding all the ingredients and binding the flavors of the chicken together.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a sweet, tangy flavor.
- Herbs and Spices: Fresh basil, Italian seasoning, and salt combine to create a delicious homemade Italian dressing!
- vegetable: Chopped romaine lettuce is the base of this salad. Then, we add chopped tomatoes and red onions for extra nutrients, flavor, and texture.
- Meat: Pepperoni and salami add protein and a delicious savory flavor.
- cheese: I like to add fresh mozzarella cheese, but you can omit it if you need to make this antipasto salad dairy-free.
How to Make Appetizer Salad Recipe
- Marinated chicken: In a medium bowl, stir all marinade ingredients until smooth. Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.
- Make salad dressing: In a small bowl combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir until smooth, then set mixture aside.
- Combine salad: Add all salad ingredients (except dressing) to a large bowl or plate.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the grill or Baking pan to medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4-6 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- piece: Let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes. Then, cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine: Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to coat. Then put the chicken pieces on top and enjoy!
Taste changes
There are countless ways to make an antipasto salad. So feel free to get creative by swapping ingredients or adding extra mix-ins, such as:
- Mushroom slices
- roasted red peppers
- Marinated Artichoke Hearts
- anchovies
- feta cheese, provolone cheeseor mozzarella pearls
- red onion
- Kalamata olives or green olives
FAQ
Once all the ingredients are mixed together, this salad should not be kept for more than a day. However, if you want to prepare it ahead of time, you can mix everything except the dressing in a bowl.
Then, stir in the dressing and store the mixture in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator. Salads and dressings will stay fresh for 2-3 days. Then, all you have to do is combine, toss, and serve!
Antipasto is a singular term for an appetizer, such as a piece of cheese or bread, while Antipasti is a plural term for a range of appetizers, such as charcuterie board.
Try more hearty salad recipes
For the chicken:
- 2 spoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 spoon italian seasoning
- 2 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 pound. Boneless skinless chicken breast
For the salad:
- 2 spoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 spoon fresh basil chopped
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3-4 cup chopped romaine lettuce About 1 big head
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup roasted red peppers chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup Choose chopped pepperoni
- 1/2 cup Choose chopped salami
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese Chopped (omit if dairy-free)
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Combine all ingredients for chicken in a medium bowl and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, Pinch in red pepper flakes, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
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Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil, Italian seasoning and salt to a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh basil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt
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Add salad ingredients to a large bowl or plate.
3-4 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, 1/2 cup red onion, 1/2 cup chopped pepperoni of choice, 1/2 cup chopped salami of choice, 1 cup fresh mozzarella cheese
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Prepare the grill or heat a grill pan to medium-high heat and cook the chicken, about 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken, or until cooked through to 165°F.
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Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then cut into bite-size pieces.
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Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.
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Arrange the cooked chicken over the antipasto salad and serve immediately.
- Once all the ingredients are mixed together, this salad should not be kept for more than a day. However, to prepare ahead of time, you can mix everything together except the dressing, store the salad and chicken in airtight containers, and store the dressing in a separate container. These ingredients will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Serve: 1ServeCalories: 380kilocaloriescarbohydrate: 8.4gramprotein: 36.2gramFat: 22.5gramSaturated fat: 4.7gramcholesterol: 101milligramssodium: Chapter 778milligramsfiber: 1.8gramsugar: 4.3gram
