Chefs Salad Recipe

Wash and dry greens

Rinse romaine, iceberg and baby spinach under cold water. Spin or pat dry thoroughly. Tear or chop romaine and iceberg into bite-size pieces. Place in a large salad bowl.

Prep vegetables

Halve cherry tomatoes. Peel (if desired) and slice cucumber into half-moons to make 1/2 cup. Thinly slice red onion to yield 1/4 cup. Add tomatoes, cucumber and red onion to the bowl with greens.

Dice meats

Slice or dice cooked ham and roast turkey into bite-size pieces (about 3/4 cup each) and set aside.

Hard-boil and slice eggs

Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover, remove from heat and let stand 9 minutes. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes, peel, halve or quarter, and set aside.

Cook bacon (if not ready)

Cook bacon until crisp by pan-frying over medium heat, baking at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes, or microwaving between paper towels for 3–4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, cool slightly and crumble to yield 1/2 cup. Add meats, bacon and eggs to the salad bowl, arranging them on top of the greens so components remain visible.

Add cheeses

Sprinkle shredded cheddar (1/2 cup), Swiss (1/4 cup) and optional provolone/Monterey Jack (1/4 cup) evenly over the salad. If using sliced cheese, roll or fold slices and place on top.

Add croutons and olives

Scatter 1/2 cup croutons and 2 tablespoons sliced olives over the salad. Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.

Season

Lightly sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper over the assembled salad.

Dress and toss

Choose one dressing: 1/4 cup ranch, French or Thousand Island. Drizzle dressing over the salad (add half the dressing first if plating to allow guests to add more). Gently toss to combine, or leave arranged and serve dressing on the side for individual plates.

Divide the salad among 2 plates or serve family-style in the bowl. If plating individually, arrange components so each plate has greens, meats, cheese, egg and croutons. Serve immediately so croutons remain crunchy.