Rock Chop Salad Recipe

Prepare greens

Wash and thoroughly dry the mixed salad greens and iceberg lettuce. Roughly chop or chop into bite-size pieces so the salad is 'chop' style. Place the greens in a large shallow bowl or on a wide platter to allow even distribution of toppings.

Prepare vegetables

Peel seeds if desired and slice the cucumber into half-moons (about 1/4-inch thick) to yield ~1 cup. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Dice the red bell pepper into small pieces (about 1/2 cup). Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons and rinse briefly under cold water if you prefer milder onion flavor; drain well.

Prep chicken and eggs

If using rotisserie chicken, remove skin and shred or chop to make 2 cups. If using raw chicken breast, grill or pan-sear: season with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about 6–8 minutes per side for average breasts); let rest 5 minutes and chop. Hard-boil eggs: place eggs in a pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath, peel, and chop.

Prepare bacon and toppings

Cook bacon until crisp (pan-fry or bake at 400°F/200°C for 15–20 minutes), then drain on paper towels and chop into bite-size pieces. Toast sunflower seeds or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat 2–3 minutes until fragrant, stirring often; remove to cool. If using pepperoncini, drain and slice into rings.

Assemble protein layer

Scatter the chopped chicken, chopped hard-boiled eggs, crumbled/chopped bacon, and cheddar evenly over the bed of greens and vegetables in rows or sections (this keeps the 'chop salad' presentation). Sprinkle toasted seeds or nuts and pepperoncini rings over the top.

Make the dressing by whisking together mayonnaise (1/2 cup), buttermilk (1/4 cup), sour cream (2 tbs), apple cider vinegar (1 tbs), Dijon mustard (1 tsp) and honey (1 tsp) in a medium bowl until smooth. Add garlic powder (1/2 tsp), onion powder (1/2 tsp), kosher salt (3/4 tsp) and freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp). Taste and adjust seasoning — add more buttermilk to thin or more mayo to thicken, and more salt or honey to balance acidity.

For a smoother dressing, you can blend the ingredients in a small blender or use an immersion blender for 10–15 seconds.

If not serving immediately, refrigerate the dressing in a covered container for up to 3 days.

Just before serving, drizzle the desired amount of dressing over the assembled chopped salad (start with 3/4–1 cup and add more to taste) and toss gently to combine, or serve dressing on the side so diners can portion individually.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (2 tbs) and chives (1 tbs). Serve with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over individual portions if desired.

Serve immediately so greens stay crisp. Leftovers: store dressing separately and keep salad components refrigerated for up to 2 days; combine just before serving.