Easy & Satisfying Chef Salad Recipe

    Chef Salad

    A bowl of chef salad containing lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cubes of ham and cheese, avocado chunks, croutons, and a drizzle of green dressing. An avocado half and a jar of dressing are in the background on a gray surface.

    Craving a quick, hearty meal that’s packed with protein and flavor? This Chef Salad is a fresh, easy-to-make American classic loaded with savory cubes of turkey and ham, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, croutons, and lettuce, tossed in a creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. It’s a popular lunch menu option that’s filling enough for dinner too.

    A bowl of chef salad containing lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cubes of ham and cheese, avocado chunks, croutons, and a drizzle of green dressing. An avocado half and a jar of dressing are in the background on a gray surface.

    A satisfying, meal-worthy salad recipe.

    cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

    This chef salad is everything you want in a main dish salad: it’s got lots of protein for staying power, a good mix of veggies, and dressing that will have you scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure you don’t leave a bit of it behind. 

    • Thanks to the crisp lettuce, creamy avocado, juicy tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and tender meats, we get a varied mix of textures. (Variety is the spice of life and also of salads.)
    • While this salad is healthy, it packs in big flavor with the cubes of turkey and ham, cheese, and ranch dressing. You’re going to spend all morning looking forward to tucking into your lunch!
    • You can swap in your favorite ingredients—think Air Fryer Bacon, Grilled Chicken Breast, or blue cheese—to make it your own.

    I love making a big chef salad for meal prep, but honestly, it’s so quick and simple to put together, you don’t really have to prep it in advance, especially if you get some of the components prepared ahead of time. It’s a 20-minute dinner, easy peasy.

    A bowl of chef salad with lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, diced tomatoes, cubed cheese, sliced cucumbers, diced ham, and avocado chunks. Whole tomatoes and an avocado are nearby. A striped cloth is partially visible at the bottom.

    My Tips for the Perfect Chef Salad

    • Take Advantage of Your Grocery Store Deli. You can cook turkey (try this Air Fryer Turkey Breast) or use leftover Baked Ham for the cubed meats in this salad, but to make life a little easier on yourself, you can ask your deli to give you thick slices of your favorite ham and turkey lunchmeat and then cube them at home. Cubed ham is also available in packages with the deli meats.
    • Prep Ahead. Hard-boil the eggs (I love Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs and Instant Pot Boiled Eggs), make the dressing, and chop the meats and veggies in advance. Store them separately in the fridge, then put it all together when you’re ready to eat.
    • Leave Off the Dressing Until You’re Ready to Serve. If you can’t store all the ingredients separately in the fridge, at the very least, you’ll want to store the dressing and salad in separate containers to keep the greens from going soggy. And please store the croutons separately too!
    • Dry the Lettuce Well. Always important, but ESPECIALLY when you’re using a creamy dressing. If there’s a lot of water clinging to your lettuce leaves, it kind of repels the dressing and keeps it from sticking; it’ll also water down the dressing and it’s just bad, bad news for a salad.

    How to Make a Chef Salad

    A clear blender cup filled with yogurt, buttermilk, fresh herbs, and garlic cloves set on a light-colored surface. The ingredients are layered and ready for blending, with the yogurt at the bottom and herbs and garlic on top.
    A close-up of a glass blender viewed from above, containing a vibrant green buttermilk ranch dressing. The surface is bubbly and frothy, set against a textured gray countertop.
    A fresh chef salad in a bowl with lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, diced ham, cheese cubes, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and croutons. A small jar of green dressing is beside the bowl, with more cherry tomatoes nearby.

    Make the Dressing. Use a blender or food processor. I like those little blenders you use to make smoothies for whipping up my salad dressings.

    Assemble. Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl as your base. Arrange the cubed turkey, chopped ham, cheese, hard-boiled egg, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado on top in neat sections or scattered evenly—your choice!

    Dress and Toss. Drizzle your desired amount of dressing over the salad. Gently toss to coat the ingredients evenly. Add the croutons last and give it one final toss to distribute their crunchy goodness throughout. Serve immediately for the freshest flavor. ENJOY!

    Recipe Variations

    • Add Some Gluten-Free Crunch. Although it’s a little less traditional, Air Fryer Chickpeas are also a fun way to add crispy-crunchy texture if croutons are off-limits for you.
    • Try Another Dressing. Blue cheese dressing or another creamy option like Green Goddess Dressing would be excellent in this chef salad too.
    • Switch Up the Meats. Cubed chicken would also work well! Try my Baked Chicken Breast.
    A colorful chef salad in a bowl with lettuce, cubed ham, cheese, boiled egg slices, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and croutons, drizzled with a green dressing. A small jar of dressing and a striped cloth are nearby.

    What to Serve with a Chef Salad

    Serve your chef salad with a piece of crusty bread or a light vegetable soup like Tomato Bisque or Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup to make it a meal.

    A bowl of chef salad containing lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cubes of ham and cheese, avocado chunks, croutons, and a drizzle of green dressing. An avocado half and a jar of dressing are in the background on a gray surface.
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    Chef Salad

    Make a hearty chef salad with this easy recipe! With crisp greens, savory meat, cheese, and zippy ranch dressing, it's great for a quick meal.
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 586kcal
    Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

    Ingredients

    • 2 heads Boston bibb romaine, or butter lettuce (or a mix) (or 1 20-ounce container of pre-washed lettuce)
    • ½ cup cubed turkey ¼-inch cubes or strips
    • ½ cup chopped ham ¼-inch cubes
    • ½ cup chopped Swiss provolone, mozzarella or cheddar cheese (¼-inch pieces)
    • 4 hard-boiled eggs sliced into ¼-inch thick wedges
    • 4 Campari tomatoes diced into ¼-inch pieces
    • 1 cup chopped cucumbers ¼-inch cubes
    • 1 avocado diced into ¼-inch pieces (about 1¼ cups)
    • 1 ½ cups croutons
    • Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

    Instructions

    • Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl. Top with the turkey, ham, cheese, eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado.
      A bowl of chef salad with lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, diced tomatoes, cubed cheese, sliced cucumbers, diced ham, and avocado chunks. Whole tomatoes and an avocado are nearby. A striped cloth is partially visible at the bottom.
    • Add as much dressing as you’d like and gently toss. Add the croutons and toss again. Serve immediately.
      A fresh chef salad in a bowl with lettuce, sliced boiled eggs, diced ham, cheese cubes, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and croutons. A small jar of green dressing is beside the bowl, with more cherry tomatoes nearby.

    Notes

    TO STORE: Refrigerate the salad and ranch dressing in separate containers. The dressing will last up to 5 days and the salad will last 2 to 3 days, depending on the freshness of the ingredients you used. Once dressed, the salad will last a day in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1(of 4) | Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 234mg | Potassium: 940mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4221IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 224mg | Iron: 3mg

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