Chopped Salad Recipe

Wash and chop lettuces

Rinse romaine, red leaf, and iceberg thoroughly under cold water. Spin or pat dry completely. Stack leaves and chop into small, uniform pieces about 3/4–1 inch. Place chopped lettuces into a large mixing bowl.

Prepare tomatoes and cucumber

Halve cherry tomatoes. Peel the English cucumber if desired, cut lengthwise and remove large seeds, then dice into 1/4-inch pieces. Add tomatoes and cucumber to the bowl with the lettuce.

Dice peppers and celery

Remove seeds and membranes from the red bell pepper and dice finely (about 1/4-inch). Trim celery and slice thinly. Add both to the bowl.

Slice scallions and add olives/corn

Thinly slice green onions (white and green parts). If using canned or cooked corn, measure and add. Pit and slice olives if not pre-sliced. Add scallions, corn and olives to the bowl.

Prepare protein

If using cooked chicken, dice into 1/2-inch pieces. If using chickpeas, drain and rinse, then lightly crush about one-quarter for texture if desired. Add protein to the salad bowl.

Add cheese and bacon

Crumble feta and sprinkle into the bowl. If using cooked bacon, crumble and scatter on top.

Toast seeds/nuts and chop herbs

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove and cool. Finely chop parsley and mince chives if using. Add seeds and herbs to the salad bowl.

Whisk dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar until emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or honey to balance acidity and sweetness.

Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly with salad tongs or two large spoons until all ingredients are evenly coated. Reserve remaining dressing for guests or for later (keeps refrigerated up to 3 days). Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, sprinkle a little extra feta and the remaining toasted seeds on top for presentation, and serve immediately.