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Chopped salad with romaine, tomatoes, red bell peppers, red onions, feta, avocado, pepitas, with red wine vinaigrette.
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The McCarthy

This is the original chopped salad recipe from the Beverly Hills Hotel's iconic Polo Lounge. The recipe has remained untouched and has been a signature dish at the hotel ever since its inception in the 1940s.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: Californian
Keyword: chopped, chopped salad, salad
Servings: 2

Equipment

  • Roasting pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Small sauce pan
  • Grill pan or frying pan
  • Blender
  • Salad bowl

Mise en place

McCarthy salad ingredients

  • 1/4 head iceberg lettuce
  • 1/2 head romaine
  • 1/2 cup grilled chicken 1/4" dice
  • 1/2 cup roasted red beets 1/4" dice
  • 1/4 cup hard boiled egg yolks 1/4" dice
  • 1/4 cup hard boiled egg whites chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese chopped fine
  • 1/2 cup applewood smoked bacon cooked crisp, chopped fine
  • 1/4 cup tomato deseeded, 1/4" dice
  • 1/4 cup avocado 1/4" dice

Salad dressing

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ea shallot peeled
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 cloves roasted garlic
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to season
  • 2 cups canola oil

Method

  • Pre-heat oven 375
  • Scrub beets and cut off pointy ends. Cut beets in half and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast beets 30-40 minutes, until done. Let cool before cutting into 1/4" dice.
  • While the beets are roasting, make hard boiled eggs: Place eggs in saucepan, covered with water, about 1". Bring to boil, then turn off heat and cover the pan, 17 minutes. Cool eggs in ice water bath, peel and separate the yolks from the whites. Dice yolks and set aside. Do the same for the whites.
  • Chop and cook bacon in a skillet on the stove until crispy. Drain on paper towels and chop finely. Set aside.
  • Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Brush with a little olive oil. Grill chicken breasts, about 4 minutes per side. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting into 1/4" dice.
  • De-seed and dice tomatoes, set aside. Peel and dice avocados, set aside. Dice the cheddar cheese, set aside.

Assemble the salad

  • Place the dressing ingredients in a blender and with the blender running, slowly drizzle in the canola oil to emulsify.
  • Place lettuces on the bottom of the bowl, and artfully arrange the salad ingredients on top.
  • Add 1/2 cup dressing to the salad and toss everything together. Add more dressing to taste.

Notes

Dressing makes a little over 2 cups.  The remaining dressing can be kept in the refrigerator, up to 1 month.