I love salad and I am always creating different variations and combinations..the possibilities are endless. I am a big believer in fresh healthy ingredients and big flavor, and the fact that you don’t need to use “bad for you” ingredients for food to taste great.
This particular salad is super satisfying because of all the protein. I added strips of grilled chicken and diced hard boiled egg, and a little bit of bacon. The dressing is creamy, but it is super healthy. It gets its creaminess from the beautiful buttery avocado. I thought this combination of the fresh crunchy romaine, buttery avocado, salty bacon, smoky chicken, egg, and creamy citrusy dressing would be a great way to brighten up everyone’s dull winter. Enjoy!
Yield: Makes 2-3 salads
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
-3/4-1 lb. thinly sliced chicken breasts
-1 head of romaine, sliced thinly into shreds
-3 eggs, hard boiled and diced (I use this method) and they literally turn out perfect
-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
-1 vine ripe tomato, chopped
-1 avocado, diced
-additional chopped parsley or basil for garnish
-2 T. olive oil
-zest of 1 lemon
-1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
-dash of cayenne pepper
-salt and pepper to taste
for the dressing:
-1 avocado
-juice of 2 lemons
-1 T. apple cider vinegar
-1 T. fresh chopped basil
-1 T. fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
-drizzle of honey, about 1 tsp.
-salt and pepper to taste
-2 T. olive oil
-1/2 c. water (this will depend on how big your avocado is..I would start with 1/4 c. + 2T., and add more water if needed. You want the dressing to be creamy and not runny or watery)
Start by marinating the chicken and making the eggs using the method above. Combine olive oil, lemon zest, smoked paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl, whisk to combine. Add chicken and toss in marinade, and let sit while you make the dressing and the eggs. I make the eggs using the method above, and then put them in an ice bath to cook before dicing and assembling the salads.
Make the dressing. Combine avocado, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, basil, parsley, honey, salt, pepper, olive oil, and water in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding additional water if needed.
Preheat a grill pan to medium high, and if you don’t have one, a regular skillet is fine. Grill thinly sliced breasts, 3 to 4 minutes a side, until they have caramely golden grill marks. Set aside to cool on a plate for several minutes before slicing.
Assemble the salads. I like to toss mine with the dressing in a big bowl before serving, to make sure the dressing coats the lettuce perfectly. Especially for this type of chopped salad. Combine lettuce, crumbled bacon, avocado, tomato, and 3-4 tablespoons of the dressing. (You will have a lot leftover). Toss to combine, and then add egg and sliced chicken and lightly toss, making sure the eggs don’t break apart. Add more dressing if desired. Portion into bowls, and garnish with more chopped herbs. Serve!
So pretty and healthy!
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