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This simple chopped chef salad is perfect for a light lunch and so quick and easy to make. Dressed with a tangy Thousand Island dressing, it’s fresh, healthy, and super delicious.
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Salad season is definitely here, and one of my go to’s is a simple chef salad. It’s so quick and easy to make and it really comes alive with a drizzle of my homemade Thousand Island dressing.
Sometimes the best recipes are simple, and this salad is a real pleasure.
If the hot weather is making you crave a salad, be sure to also try my quinoa salad with salmon and tuna white bean salad.
What is a Chef Salad
Chef’s salad is an American classic! The salad consists of chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers as the base, and hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and one or more varieties of meat, such as ham, turkey, or chicken as a topping. Don’t forget a delicious homemade creamy dressing like Thousand Island dressing, Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing. It will impress anyone you serve it to it, and it’s a delicious and filling lunch or dinner.
Chef Salad Ingredients
- Romaine Lettuce
- Cherry Tomatoes – you can also use regular size juicy tomatoes like heirloom or beefsteak cut in small cubes.
- Cucumber –
- Ham – you can use leftover ham or even sandwich ham slices cut in small pieces.
- Cheddar Cheese – i prefer Cheddar for its flavor but you can use your favorite or whatever you have on hand.
- Hard Boiled Egg – Check my tips & cooking chart for how long to boil eggs. Perfect every time, and so easy to peel.
- Thousand Island Dressing – easy homemade and healthier recipe makes this dressing a staple in my fridge.
How To Make A Chef Salad
It takes only 10 minutes to make this fresh chef salad.
- Add the romaine lettuce to a large bowl.
- Top the lettuce with tomatoes, cucumbers, ham, cheese, and a sliced hard-boiled egg.
- Drizzle with a Thousand Island dressing and dig in.
Healthy Meal Prep Lunch
This is a great salad to make for packed lunches or for meals throughout the week. Make up the salad and then keep it covered and it will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It’s best not to add the dressing until you are ready to serve it as it can make the lettuce wilt.
Recipe Variations
It’s really easy to make this chef salad recipe your own, by adding in different veggies, extra protein and you can easily mix up the dressing. Try adding in:
- Red bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Bacon crumbles
- Shredded Chicken
- Blue cheese or Ranch dressing instead of Thousand Island dressing
This salad is a great base to add all of your favorite things!
What do you serve with chef salad?
This salad is great to serve by itself as a low carb lunch or light evening meal. If you like you can serve it alongside some grilled chicken or with a healthy portion of garlic bread.
Chef Salad vs. Cobb Salad
Both salads are American main-dish salads and are very similar because they are served with a hard-boiled egg and meats. But the classic Cobb salad doesn’t have cucumbers, and is usually made with bacon, chicken, and avocado, and is served with Roquefort cheese, and a vinaigrette.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- Cut the veggies into evenly sized pieces so that it’s easier to eat.
- Wash the salad ingredients under cold running water. Pat them dry with kitchen paper or use a salad spinner to remove the excess water.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
More Easy Lunch Salads
- Cobb Salad
- Quinoa Salad with Salmon
- Mediterranean Tuna Salad
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Tuna White Bean Salad
- Greek Quinoa Salad with Chicken
Chef Salad
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Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup cucumbers slices, halved
- ½ cup chopped ham
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1 hard boiled egg, sliced
- 3 Tablespoon thousand island dressing
Instructions
- Add romaine lettuce to a large bowl.
- Top the lettuce with tomatoes, cucumbers, ham, cheese, and a sliced hard-boiled egg.
- Drizzle with thousand island dressing.
Video
Notes
- Cut the veggies into evenly sized pieces so that it easier to eat.
- Wash the salad ingredients under cold running water. Pat them dry with kitchen paper or use a salad spinner to remove the excess water.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
This looks like all the healthy and yummy ingredients in one Bowl. The dressing makes it perfect for a light and crunchy and delicious mini meal too.
A quick and delicious meal for any time.
I had forgotten how delicious it is to add ham to salad! Loved this!
Oh, Neli! What a deliciously simple and nourishing lunch – this is exactly the type of salad recipe I love to throw together at mid-day. So nourishing, but won’t weigh me down or make me feel lethargic and sleepy as I head into a busy afternoon. Yum – you’ve inspired me!
Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!