A Classic Chef’s Salad with Bacon, Eggs & Ranch Dressing

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Ingredients

• 8 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered

• 8 strips bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped

• 8 ounces cooked ham, cut into strips or cubes

• 1 large cucumber, sliced

• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup sour cream

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon honey

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs like dill or chives (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare the hard-boiled eggs Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about an inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 12 minutes exactly. Transfer eggs to an ice bath to stop cooking and make peeling easier. This method gives you perfectly cooked yolks with no green ring. Once cooled, peel and quarter them.
2. Step 2: Cook the bacon Lay bacon strips in a cold skillet, then turn heat to medium. This gradual heating helps render the fat evenly and creates crispier bacon. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess grease, then chop into bite-sized pieces. The bacon should shatter when you bite it, not bend.
3. Step 3: Make the creamy dressing In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing should be thick but pourable. If it's too thick, thin it with a teaspoon of water or milk. This homemade dressing tastes infinitely better than bottled versions and you can adjust the tanginess to your preference.
4. Step 4: Prep the vegetables Wash and thoroughly dry your lettuce. Wet lettuce makes the dressing slide off and creates a watery salad. Chop it into bite-sized pieces. Slice the cucumber into rounds or half-moons. Cut tomatoes into wedges rather than dicing them so they hold their shape better and look more appealing. If using red onion, slice it paper-thin and soak in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the sharp bite.
5. Step 5: Assemble the Chef's Salad Spread the chopped lettuce across a large serving platter or divide among individual bowls. Now comes the fun part. Arrange the eggs, bacon, ham strips, cucumber slices, and tomato wedges in neat sections on top of the lettuce. This traditional presentation style makes the salad look restaurant-quality and lets everyone see exactly what they're getting. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over everything.
6. Step 6: Dress and serve You can either drizzle the creamy dressing over the entire salad or serve it on the side for people to add their own amount. I prefer serving it alongside so the lettuce stays crisp longer. Give everything a gentle toss right before eating, or let each person toss their own portion. The goal is to get a little bit of everything in each bite.

Nutrition

Calories: ' + d.