Classic Chef’s Salad Recipe with High-Protein Italian Dressing

This classic chef’s salad recipe is loaded with crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, smoky bacon, deli turkey and ham, hard-boiled eggs, fresh veggies, and a creamy homemade Italian dressing made with cottage cheese for a little extra protein. It has all the classic deli-style flavors you expect from a chef’s salad, but the homemade dressing makes it feel fresher, lighter, and even more satisfying for lunch or dinner.

Prep Time25

Total Time25

Course: Main Dish/Salads

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: chef's salad recipe

Method: Stovetop

Servings: servings

Author: Ashley McCrary

Ingredients

Salad

4 cups iceberg lettuce chopped and cleaned
4 cups romaine cleaned and chopped
1 cup oven-roasted turkey deli meat julienne cut
1 cup smoked ham deli meat julienne cut
5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup cubed cheddar cheese sub dairy-free
1/2 cup feta crumbles sub dairy-free
1 small red onion thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 large English Cucumber sliced
4 large hard-boiled eggs quartered
3 Tbsp sliced green onions
1 Tbsp chopped chives

High-Protein Creamy Italian Dressing

1 cup cottage cheese sub greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt
1 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp homemade italian dressing seasoning or sub store-bought
2-3 Tbsp milk of choice regular or dairy-free
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

Add the cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt), mayo, Italian seasoning, milk, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and onion powder to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency. Set aside. Make sure dressing is pourable. (Chill for an hour for the best flavor.)
In a large bowl or platter, combine the chopped iceberg and romaine lettuce. Layer in the turkey, ham, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, feta, red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Toss and serve: Drizzle the creamy Italian dressing over the salad and toss until everything is well coated.

Notes

Dry the lettuce really well before assembling the salad. Even a little leftover water can thin the dressing and make the lettuce soften faster.
If you can, ask the deli counter to julienne cut the turkey and ham into thin strips. It mixes into the salad much better and makes the whole thing quicker and easier to eat!
If your dressing thickens too much after chilling, stir in a splash of milk before serving.
Keep the dressing separate until serving time if you’re meal prepping.
Chilling the salad bowl for a few minutes before assembling helps keep everything extra crisp.
Store the creamy Italian dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For the freshest texture, store the lettuce separately from the toppings and dressing. A paper towel tucked into the lettuce container helps absorb extra moisture and keeps it crisp longer.

Nutrition