We have enjoyed the viral “grinder” sandwich in every form it seems and now I’ve made it into a chicken salad! I prefer to eat it with crackers or topped on a bed of lettuce, but you can eat it as a sandwich with sourdough or your favorite bread, as a wrap, or grab a fork and eat it right out of the bowl! It’s super flavorful!

While the chicken bakes, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients in less than 15 minutes. There are so many flavor variations when it comes to chicken salad and I love to mix it up, so it doesn’t feel as if we are eating the same boring chicken salad repetitively. This one is very satisfying with the creaminess, tanginess and the punch from the pepperoni.

Andiamo – here’s what you’re going to need for this Italian Chicken Salad!

Main Ingredients: 

• 1 lb or 2 cups Chicken breast (cooked and shredded) – season however you like, I use EVOO, salt and pepper with a little bit of Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup Salami (diced)
• 1/2 cup Pepperoni (diced)
• 1/4 cup Provolone cheese (diced)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 cup Romano cheese (shredded)
• 1/3 cup banana peppers (sliced or diced)
• 1/2 cup red onion (diced)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbs Red Wine vinegar
• 2 tbs banana pepper juice from the jar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1.) Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Taste and add seasonings or more mayo to your liking.

2.) Place bowl in the refrigerator as you prepare and bake the chicken and dice the other meats and veggies.

3.) In a large bowl, combine the main ingredients – salami, pepperoni, cheeses, banana peppers, and onion.

4.) Once the chicken has finished cooking, shred it and allow to cool slightly.

5.) Add the shredded chicken to the large bowl with the main ingredients.

6.) Remove the dressing bowl from the refrigerator and pour into the large bowl. Stir to combine all the ingredients.

7.) You can place the bowl in the refrigerator for an hour to allow the ingredients to meld together or you can grab a cracker and scoop away!

Enjoy!