Chef Salad Recipe

Cook bacon

Place bacon slices in a cold skillet in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then crumble or chop into bite-sized pieces.

Hard-boil eggs

Place eggs in a saucepan and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover, remove from heat, and let sit 9 minutes for fully set yolks. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel and quarter.

Prepare deli meats and cheese

Trim any excess fat from ham and turkey if desired. Dice or chop deli ham and turkey into roughly 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup each). Shred the cheddar cheese if not pre-shredded.

Prepare vegetables

Rinse romaine leaves thoroughly, spin or pat dry, then chop into bite-sized pieces to measure about 6 cups. Halve cherry tomatoes or dice regular tomatoes to yield 1 cup. Finely chop 1/4 cup red onion (use less if you prefer milder onion flavor).

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, whisk in up to 1 tablespoon cold water to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning (add salt, pepper, or a touch more honey or vinegar as needed).

In a large salad bowl, place the chopped romaine as the base and gently toss once to loosen the leaves.

Arrange or scatter the diced ham and turkey evenly over the lettuce.

Distribute the halved tomatoes and chopped red onion over the salad.

Place the quartered hard-boiled eggs on top or arrange them around the perimeter for presentation.

Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the salad.

Add the crumbled bacon as the final savory topping.

If serving with dressing, either drizzle desired amount over the salad and toss gently to combine, or serve dressing on the side for guests to add themselves.

Serve immediately so the romaine stays crisp. Leftovers: store dressing separately and keep salad components (lettuce and toppings) chilled in an airtight container up to 1–2 days; assemble just before serving for best texture.