Best California Pizza Kitchen Chopped Salad Recipes

CALIFORNIA-STYLE CHOPPED SALAD WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• For the salad: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a large bowl add the romaine lettuce, corn, zucchini, and shrimp and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the romaine lettuce, turning occasionally, until crisp-tender and browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Coarsely chop the grilled lettuce and add it to a large salad bowl. Grill the corn and zucchini for 2 minutes on all sides until crisp-tender. Remove the kernels from the corn and add to the salad bowl. Chop the zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Grill the shrimp until the meat is opaque and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Cool slightly and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chopped shrimp, butter lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado to the bowl.
• For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil and agave nectar until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until all the ingredients are coated. Garnish the salad with tortilla strips and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN SALAD (CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN COPYCAT)

Steps:

• To make the spiced chicken: combine coriander and cinnamon with olive oil to make a paste. Spread on chicken breasts with a bbq brush or fingers; cook chicken in pan or grill (I used my Foreman grill and it worked well) until fully cooked. Let chicken cool and slice.
• While chicken is cooking, roast diced squash in a 400 degree oven for about ten minutes (I used my toaster oven).
• Toss all other ingredients together with the champagne dressing to taste. Top with sliced chicken & almonds.

THAI PEANUT DRESSING FROM CPK'S THAI CRUNCH SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together peanut butter, vinegar, honey, water and soy sauce.
• Stir in sugar, salt, cayenne and red pepper flakes.
• Add oil and continue whisking until smooth.
• Use immediately or refrigerate for up to five days. Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHENS BBQ CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• To Make the Fried Tortilla Strips: In a deep, heavy frying pan, heat several inches of vegetable oil to a temperature of 375 degrees. Working in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil, submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the tortilla strips until evenly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift them out with the skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside, uncovered.
• To Make the Garden Herb Ranch Dressing: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to stir together the mustard and cold water, forming a paste. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl and, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed or a whisk, blend together just until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too much air into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To Make the Grilled Garlic and BBQ Chicken: Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this marinade and leave to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4-inch cubes and, in a bowl, toss with the barbecue sauce to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To Make the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuces, basil, jicama, Monterey Jack cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, dressing, and half of the Fried Tortilla Strips. Transfer the salads to chilled serving plates. Surround each salad with diced tomatoes and the remaining Fried Tortilla Strips. Top each salad with chunks of Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken and drizzle the chicken with the barbecue sauce. Garnish with the scallion.