Chopped Salad Recipe

Hard-boil the eggs

Place 4 eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 9 minutes for fully set yolks. Remove from heat and transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes. Peel and set aside to cool completely before chopping.

Cook the bacon

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top if available. Lay 8 bacon slices in a single layer. Bake for 12–18 minutes until crisp to your liking. Alternatively, pan-fry over medium heat until crisp, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 slices for garnish if desired. When cool, chop or crumble the remaining bacon into bite-sized pieces.

Rinse and spin the baby salad leaves dry. Halve the grape tomatoes (or quarter if large). Peel, pit, and dice the avocados into roughly 1/2-inch pieces; toss the avocado with a small squeeze of lemon to slow browning if not assembling immediately. Thinly slice or finely dice 1/4 cup red onion if using. Grate or cube the cheddar to measure 1 cup.

In a small bowl or jar combine 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk briefly, then slowly stream in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a touch more honey for sweetness or a splash more vinegar for brightness. Refrigerate until ready to use; shake or whisk again before dressing the salad.

Chop the peeled hard-boiled eggs into quarters or rough 1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the 6 cups baby leaves, halved grape tomatoes (1.5 cups), chopped bacon, diced avocado, grated/cubed cheddar (1 cup), and sliced red onion (1/4 cup) if using. Add the chopped eggs on top.

Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad (start with ~3 to 4 tablespoons) and gently toss with tongs or two large spoons until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Take care when tossing so avocado pieces do not get too mashed.

Transfer to a serving bowl or platter. Crumble the reserved 2 bacon slices over the top, sprinkle the chopped parsley or chives, and grind a little extra black pepper. Serve immediately.