Chopped Grilled Chicken Salad with Avocado and Gorgonzola

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A trattoria-style chopped salad built for real life: oregano-marinated chicken thighs off the grill, crisp romaine and radicchio, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, crumbled Gorgonzola and buttery avocado, all tossed in a sharp red wine vinaigrette. Everything is cut to the same spoon-friendly size so every bite has a little of each thing. Grill double the chicken and keep the avocado and dressing on the side, and you have four days of lunches that don't go soggy.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped into 1/2-inch ribbons
• 1/2 small head radicchio, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear, or thawed frozen)
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
• 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled (optional)
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 3 tbsp fresh basil, torn

• 4 oz Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 2 medium ripe avocados
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. In a bowl or zip-top bag, whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, grated garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken, turn to coat, and marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 8 hours in the refrigerator. Don't go past 8 hours or the lemon will make the surface mealy.
2. Make the vinaigrette: in a jar, combine red wine vinegar, Dijon, honey, minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5 minutes to soften the shallot, then add 1/2 cup olive oil, seal and shake hard for 20 seconds until creamy. Season with black pepper. Refrigerate up to 1 week.
3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 450°F). Scrape excess marinade off the chicken and grill undisturbed 5 to 6 minutes per side for thighs (4 to 5 minutes per side for breasts pounded to even thickness), until well-marked and an instant-read thermometer registers 175°F for thighs or 165°F for breasts.
4. If using fresh corn, brush the shucked ear lightly with oil and grill alongside the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until charred in spots. Cool, then cut the kernels off the cob.
5. Transfer the chicken to a board and rest 10 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch dice — chopped salad works only if the chicken is the same size as everything else. (Cook double the chicken here if you're meal-prepping; refrigerate the extra whole and dice as needed.)
6. While the chicken rests, prep the salad: chop the romaine and radicchio and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner or on towels. Combine in a large wide bowl with the cherry tomatoes, corn, chickpeas, celery, red onion, bacon if using, and basil.
7. Add the diced chicken and about half the Gorgonzola to the bowl. Drizzle in two-thirds of the vinaigrette and toss with tongs from the bottom up for a full 30 seconds so the dressing coats everything evenly. Taste and add more dressing or salt as needed.
8. Halve, pit and dice the avocados into 1/2-inch cubes, toss gently with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and scatter over the salad along with the remaining Gorgonzola. Fold in with two or three gentle strokes only, so the avocado stays in cubes. Finish with flaky salt and a crack of pepper and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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