With its refreshing crunch and lovely mix of colors, textures and flavors, this Italian Chopped Chicken Salad with Fennel & Ricotta Salata is a clever variation of chopped salad.
Since I started working from home a few years ago, it’s rare that I have to be out of the house by 7:45 am. But I woke bright and early yesterday, excited to run out the door to pick up Little Miss Dolce from the doggy motel where she’d been chilling for the past few days.
In my early morning travels down back country roads, I came upon small clusters of people…moms sporting all too familiar yoga pants and oversized sweatshirts and squeaky clean kids donning oversized backpacks standing at the end of long driveways waiting for the school bus to arrive.
In an instant, I am reminded of how quickly our days pass.
In the blink of an eye we go from standing at the end of our driveways holding soft little hands, to waving goodbye from the front door, to sharing the I Love You sign as we drive away from dormitories and new apartments. And as difficult as good-byes can be, I stay composed (I suppose that’s left to interpretation) by remembering one thing…”Hello!” is just around the corner. Whether it’s reuniting at the end of a school day or coming together at the beginning of a vacation, there is no sweeter word than hello.
This salad is a reminder of a meal that Luc and I shared earlier this week on a damp and drippy slate-colored day in Boston. Since we had the gift of time and no-where to be, room-service seemed the perfect idea. So we partook in this luxury and solved all the world’s problems… And before I know it, Chels and I will pick up where we left off, sharing a sushi roll or two, in what is certain to be a sunshine-y day in LA… To return home to Nick, a favorite summertime housemate, who in typical fashion will beat me at Rummy and help us eat more hams & hots than we can count…
See. ‘Hellos’ all over the place.
Speaking of hello, this Italian Chopped Chicken Salad will have you saying hello to its simplicity and big time flavors. Like most chopped salads it starts with a bed of chopped romaine hearts and then it’s all about the mix-ins: lemon-pepper rotisserie chicken (yes, I said rotisserie, one that’s prepared and ready for pick up at your favorite grocer), toasted pine nuts (or any nut you prefer), sliced prosciutto (a must), sweet baby currants, plump black grapes, sliced cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced fennel, crumbles of ricotta salata and a finish of fruity olive oil with a splash or two of balsamic vinegar.
This dish is oh so pleasing and very beautiful…
I hope your weekend is filled with hellos, my friends!
Buon Appetito!
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Italian Chopped Chicken Salad with Fennel & Ricotta Salata
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 6 – 8 oz. sliced rotisserie chicken
- 3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
- 1 cup halved black grapes
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced fennel
- 1/2 cup currants
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 – 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss to combine the lettuce, chicken, prosciutto, grapes, tomatoes, fennel, currants, pine nuts and ricotta salata.
- Swirl olive oil and vinegar over top.
- Stir to combine.
- Finish salad with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve.
CIAO!
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[…] recently posted a recipe for Italian Chopped Chicken Salad with Fennel & Ricotta Salata and had a lot to say about hellos and good-byes and long driveways and little hands…but I […]
What a wonderful post, and it’s always good to by reminded that the days fly by. Sharing wonderful meals with loved ones is my favorite way to savor the best moments of life. This salad has so many of my favorite antipasto things put together in a fantastic salad, and I love the addition of pine nuts!
Thank you, Kari… You and I are on the same page…I love sharing beautiful meals and savoring those moments… 🙂
Such a beautiful and heart warming story, Annie. Motherhood is so precious. This salad looks stunning and delicious — so perfect. Thanks for sharing your memories with us.
Thank you, Anu… Have a lovely day, my friend.
Oh Annie – I got choked up reading “And as difficult as good-byes can be, I stay composed (I suppose that’s left to interpretation) by remembering one thing…”Hello!” is just around the corner.” you see my daughter is a year away from heading to college and seeing we are close, that day is gonna be so bittersweet (more sad than bitter for me for sure).
Salad is something we so enjoy together – especially those ones where we put in ALL the ingredients and this one with fennel and ricotta would be one we’d fight over – and I’m starting to think if we start to fight more, maybe we’ll miss each other less??? Hmmmm….maybe I need to make this salad more often? 🙂
Just kidding!
Oh Shashi…I remember senior year for each of the kids…our senses become so heightened. And every little thing they do, it’s as if seen through a magnifying glass. I’d like to tell you that fighting more makes us miss them less – no such luck – I tried everything! 😉 hehehehehe! Please feel free to reach out any time you need to talk! Deal? I’m so happy you like this salad! Enjoy it, my friend! (And no fighting over the fennel!) 🙂
This is such a sweet post. You’re going to make me tear up!
This is one beautiful salad. I really enjoy fennel in salads so this sounds wonderful. And the chicken and ricotta–delicious!
Thank you, Amanda! I’m sort of hooked on fennel and ricotta salata now, too! 🙂
Wel, ‘hello’ to you too. Nice sentiments all-round. GREG
Hello! Thank you, Greg! 🙂
Aw… Annie you always manage to stir my heartstrings. How do you do it?? Omigosh… I got teary-eyed just thinking about how quickly life passes by–I was thinking about my nephew and how it was just two seconds ago that he was a newborn baby. Now he’s almost three, speaking full sentences and having all of these opinions. Next thing you know, he’s gonna be going off to college. Getting misty-eyed here, Annie! 😉 Loved this post and the beautiful salad you made to remind us of the sweetness of “hellos.” 🙂 Have a wonderful week, friend. Pinned! 🙂
Hahhah – ohhh – three is such a cute age!! You really begin to see their personality emerge! Well, thank you for your kind words, my friend! It’s easy to get misty when we think about those we love and the passage of time… xo
Beautiful story and a beautiful salad! My three are all teenagers and sometimes I need to remember they are still my precious babies! Thanks for sharing your memories and this salad!
Doesn’t matter how old they are – they’re still our precious babies! Thanks, Kathy! Happy Mother’s Day, my friend! 🙂
Hello Annie! Really enjoyed reading this one. I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day and I am sure your kids know how much you love them. Killer looking salad, too. 😉
Thank you, Kevin…I’m having a beautiful day! 🙂
Clever indeed! I love all of flavors and textures going on! And I love the way you write, Annie. You write with your heart on your sleeve 🙂 I hope you have a truly wonderful Mother’s Day!
Thank you so much, Kathleen! Hope you’re having a beautiful weekend! 🙂
Oh so beautiful. You’ve combined all my faves here. A must-try. Cheers!
I’m glad you like it! Thanks, dear! 🙂
This salad is everything I love, a little sweet, little salty, a little crunch! I love fennel, it’s so bright and flavorful. Have a wonderful weekend. Take care.
It’s an awesome salad! Who knew chopped salad could be so good?! Happy Mother’s Day, my friend!
I love reading your posts, Annie! Your writing always puts me in a good mood and warms my heart. I love the way you look at life and the way you (so obviously) love your family. Whenever I visit your page, I’m reminded how lucky I am to “know” someone so genuine and kind. Anyways, enough of the feels. 😉 This chopped salad looks wonderful, dear! I’m a big fan of chopped salads and you packed this one with ALL the delicious things! Plus I love that this is super easy to whip together, yet so elegant in appearance. I’ll be making this for lunch next week for sure! Pinned! Cheers dear – to a wonderful weekend filled with many “Hello’s”. XO
It’s such a thrill getting to know about you and Boy and all the wonderful and exciting happenings in your life! I feel exactly the same way about you, my friend. Your genuineness speaks loud and clear! Wishing you a lovely sunny weekend! XO
You are right Annie, days go so quickly! Hope you have a great Mother’s Day! This salad looks amazing, love everything about it! Great ingredients, will definitely try it!
Awh! Thank you, my friend! You also have a lovely weekend! 🙂
You write so well, Annie – I love the idea that goodbyes lead to hellos – I’ll be thinking about that all day today :). And nothing like a good chopped salad – one of my favorite lunches – love it!
Thank you so much, Geraldine… I’m a person who loves the feeling of anticipation so I’ll glady look forward to the hellos as quickly as I can once I get through feeling the goodbyes. Have a lovely weekend, my friend! 🙂
Jeeze, Annie! You just made me cry! How did the time go so fast from chubby little hands to a dorm room 9 hours away?!?!? Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Mother’s Day full of Hellos! Oh! I almost forgot – that salad looks fantastic!
What is up with these kids spreading their wings so far?! I know…I shed a few myself… Have a lovely Mother’s Day, my friend! <3
What a beautiful post, Annie! I’m almost tearing up at the memory of soft hands…motherhood is so emotional, isn’t it? I’m glad it’s the season of hellos for us. We need that! And, ricotta salata is one of my favorite cheeses! It’s not available at my grocery store, but I’ve enjoyed it in CT. I really need to figure out where to buy it at home.
Thank you, my friend. I know – soft hands, right? Too. Much. Ricotta salata is one of our favorites, too! I love the bite! Wishing you a wonderful Mother’s Day! 🙂
I love every single ingredient in this salad, Annie! What a wonderful combination! Would gladly eat this for lunch or dinner. The simple things are often the very best, aren’t they? P.S. Now, I have the ‘Hello’ song by Adele in my head, lol. Hope you have lots of’ hellos’ this weekend too and a nice and relaxing one. Pinning, of course 😉
Hahaha! That song didn’t even occur to me! But now I suspect I’ll be hearing it all weekend! Thanks, my friend! 🙂
You put “Hello!” so beautifully, Annie! That is so true, it is around every corner, and that helps to ease pain and sadness that can happen. I would definitely say a big fat “Hello!” to this salad! It looks absolutely perfect! Chopped salad are my favorite, and I’m loving the ingredients in here. Just wonderful!
Thank you, Gayle! If I dwell on the goodbyes rather than look forward to the hellos – I’d be in big trouble!
I’m enjoying holding soft little hands while I can. I know those days are fleeting. They’re already going way too quickly!
This salad looks incredible. It’s a great welcome home dinner!
You know what’s neat? We’ve come full circle – my girls will hold my hand again… Thanks, dear! 🙂