Salad Add-ons! Recipe

Grilled chicken

Season 2 chicken breasts with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Grill over medium-high heat (or pan-sear) 6–8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F). Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

Hard-boiled eggs

Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil, cover, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Transfer to ice bath for 5 minutes, peel and halve or quarter.

Chickpeas

If using canned, drain and rinse 1 cup chickpeas. For extra flavor, toss with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp olive oil and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 10–12 minutes until slightly crisp.

Bacon

Cook 4 slices of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble.

Smoked salmon

Flake 100 g smoked salmon into bite-sized pieces and keep chilled until serving.

Measure and crumble/shave cheeses as listed: 1 cup feta crumbled, 1 cup Parmesan shaved, 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbled. Keep chilled until assembling to maintain texture.

Prepare produce: halve 1 cup cherry tomatoes, thinly slice 1 cup cucumber, thinly slice 1/2 red onion (soak in cold water 10 minutes if you want milder flavor), slice 1 avocado and toss with a squeeze of lemon to prevent browning, dice 1 cup roasted beets (if using raw beets roast at 200°C/400°F for 40–50 minutes wrapped in foil), and thinly slice 1 apple and toss with a bit of lemon juice.

Toast nuts and seeds: heat a dry skillet over medium heat, add 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup slivered almonds and toast 3–4 minutes until fragrant (shake the pan frequently). Remove and cool, then chop walnuts. Toast 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 2–3 minutes until they pop. Store with croutons until serving.

Provide dressings chilled in small containers: 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette, 1/2 cup ranch, 1/2 cup honey mustard. Cut 2 lemon wedges for squeezing. Have salt and pepper available to taste.