Chef Salad Recipe

Wash and dry the romaine, mixed baby greens and iceberg thoroughly. Spin or pat dry to remove excess water.

Chop the romaine and iceberg into bite-sized pieces. In a large salad bowl, combine chopped romaine, iceberg and mixed baby greens. Toss lightly and set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare other components.

If not already prepared, hard-boil the eggs: place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover for 9 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes, peel and halve or quarter.

Slice or cube the roast turkey and ham into bite-sized strips or pieces.

Fry or bake bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels and chop into bite-sized pieces.

Core and wedge the Roma tomato into 6–8 pieces, or dice if preferred.

Peel (if desired) and thinly slice the cucumber into half-moons.

Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons. If you prefer milder onion flavor, soak slices in cold water for 5 minutes and drain.

Shred carrot if not already shredded. Peel, pit and slice the avocado just before assembling to avoid browning; toss avocado gently with a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt if desired.

Julienne or thinly slice the Swiss cheese and shred the cheddar if not pre-shredded.

Have croutons ready to add at the end so they remain crisp.

Make the vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar combine the Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, honey and minced garlic. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing emulsifies. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; taste and adjust sweetness, acidity or seasoning as desired.

Remove the greens from the refrigerator. Arrange the base greens evenly in the large serving bowl or divide among individual plates.

Neatly arrange the proteins (turkey, ham, chopped bacon, and egg halves) on top of the greens in sections or evenly distributed per plate for a classic chef salad presentation.

Scatter the tomato wedges, cucumber slices, red onion, shredded carrot and avocado over the greens and proteins.

Add the Swiss and cheddar cheeses and sprinkle croutons on top.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving — about 2–3 tablespoons per serving — or serve the dressing on the side. Gently toss at the table or serve arranged and let diners toss individually.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately so croutons remain crisp and avocado stays fresh.