Beverly Hills Chopped McCarthy Salad - Lemon Blossoms (2024)

The iconic McCarthy Salad from the Beverly Hills Hotel may have a big price tag, but it also has the best flavor! It’s packed with creamy avocado, tender chicken, sweet beets, juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, chickpeas and sharp cheddar, drizzled with balsamic dressing. The McCarthy chopped salad is their signature dish for a reason, and now you can make it at home any day!

Easy McCarthy Salad Recipe

The Beverly Hill’s Hotel has been a hot spot for the rich and famous for many years, and the McCarthy chopped salad has been the most popular item on their menu.

The easysalad mixes together protein, vegetables, legumes, and cheese for a flavor and texture that takes salad to the next level. The balsamic-based dressing, with a touch of dijon and plenty of aromatic garlic, is game-changing.

What’s the McCarthy Salad?

This chopped salad was made famous by the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles thanks to 1940s polo captain Neil McCarthy who requested a salad with a very specific list of ingredients from his table at their Polo Lounge. The rest is history! The McCarthy salad has become a signature menu item.

What’s in the McCarthy Chopped Salad?

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Lettuce: Crisp and refreshing romaine lettuce is the base for the salad. The original salad included two types of lettuce — romaine and iceberg — so feel free to incorporate the latter, if you choose.
• Chicken: Grilled chicken breast, chopped, adds lean protein to the dish. If you prefer cooking indoors, this Baked Chicken Breast is easy to make in very little time. Leftover rotisserie chicken can be used as well.
• Beets: Earthy and sweet, beets add a vibrant pop of color. Learn how to cook beets 6 different ways or you can use already cooked beets or canned beets.
• Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs add extra protein and rich flavor to the salad.
• Bacon: Crispy bacon adds smoky and salty flavor, and an amazing crispy texture. We love cooking bacon in the oven. It’s easy and mess free!
• Cheese: The recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese, but any other type of cheddar, Monterrey Jack cheese and Mozzarella cheese can be used. For a different twist, use blue cheese crumbles, goat cheese or feta cheese.
• Tomatoes– Grape tomatoes add bright and juicy sweetness. Cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes work too.
• Chickpeas: I use canned chickpeas. With their nutty flavor and chewy texture, chickpeas add more protein and another layer of flavor. Give it a different twist by using black beans.
• Avocado: Creamy, buttery, and brightly colored, ripe avocado adds another interesting level of texture to this savory salad.

Balsamic Dressing Ingredients

• Garlic: The original salad dressing uses roasted garlic which you can use if you have handy; however, fresh garlic works just as well.
• Balsamic Vinegar (white balsamic vinegar can also be used)
• Honey (or you can use maple syrup)
• Olive oil (extra virgin olive oil). A neutral flavor oil such as avocado oil can be used.
• Dijon mustard, sea salt or Kosher salt and black pepper.

How to Make LA’s Beverly Hills Hotel McCarthy’s Salad at Home?

1. Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, smashed roasted garlic clove, salt, and pepper.
2. Artfully arrange the proteins and vegetables on the serving plate.
3. Drizzle with dressing and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the History of the McCarthy Salad?

Polo team captain Neal McCarthy once requested this salad, specifying each ingredient, at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Afterward, it became a signature offering.

What’s the Most Expensive Salad in the World?

The McCarthy Salad at LA’s, Beverly Hills Hotel clocked in at the highest-priced salad in 2022, when they created a special-edition of their iconic salad to mark the hotel’s 110th anniversary. At a whopping $ 1,912, the salad included gold flakes, tender lobster and caviar. A portion of proceeds from the sale did go to charity.

Is this the Jennifer Anniston Salad?

I am sure Jennifer Aniston has eaten this salad at the Beverly Hills hotel just like many other celebrities like Kim Kardashian; however, this is not the same recipe that includes quinoa, cucumbers and pistachios.

What to Serve with McCarthy Salad

This salad is a meal all on its own. However, you can opt to serve appetizers ahead of time, likeroasted cauliflower,shrimp saganaki, orbaked brie.

Salads are also perfectly paired with soup. Tryroasted cauliflower soup, Lentil Soup or this heartycheddar ale soup.

Make Ahead And Storing, McCarthy Salad

Making Ahead: You can prepare most of the salad 1-2 days ahead of time, waiting until serving time to cut open the avocado and toss the salad with the dressing. The balsamic salad dressing can be made 4-5 days ahead of time. Keep the dressing refrigerated in an airtight jar or container.

Storage: You can store this salad without the avocado and not tossed with the salad dressing in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Leftover salad, dressed and tossed with the avocado, will only keep overnight (the avocado most likely will turn brownish and the lettuce will wilt a bit).

• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• The Best Lentil Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
• Thai Larb Salad
• Roasted Beet Salad

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