Bayou BBQ Chop Salad

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Source: Southern Living magazine

Categories: Salad- Salad Dressings- Slaw

Ingredients

  • Balsamic Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 1/2 Tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • Fried Onions:
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
  • 1 large red onion, trimmed
  • 4 cups canola oil
  • Salad:
  • 3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
  • 1 lb. romaine lettuce, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 of a medium-size cucumber
  • 1 large Roma tomato, sliced
  • 6 button mushrooms (about 1/4 lb.)
  • 2 on. mozzarella, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, thinned with milk
  • 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 pepperoncini in brine, drained

Directions

  1. Prepare Dressing:

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together both vinegars, the garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, Dijon mustard and dry mustard. While whisking, add oil in a thin stream. Whisk in salt and pepper and set aside.

  3. Fried Onions:

  4. In a large bowl, combine flour and Cajun seasoning. Peel off tough outer skin from onion and thinly slice onion. Add slices to bowl and toss to coat.

  5. Heat oil in a medium saucepan to 365 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. Add onion in batches (about 3/4 cup per batch), being careful that oil doesn’t overflow. Cook onion about 1 minute, then transfer to paper towel-lined tray to cool. Repeat with all the onion (about 4 batches total).

  6. Salad:

  7. Grill or broil chicken breasts, turning once, until cooked through, about 12 minutes. Heat barbecue sauce in microwave, about 30 seconds. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces and stir into barbecue sauce.

  8. Place romaine, cucumber, tomato and mushrooms on a large cutting board (or work in batches). Chop vegetables until they are 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Place lettuce mixture in center of large platter and toss with 1/3 cup of the Balsamic Dressing (reserve remainder for another use). top with fried onions and mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with ricotta cheese and Parmesan. Spoon barbecue chicken around edge of platter. Garnish with pepperoncini and serve.

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