If you are looking to eat heathier in the new year, this makes a wonderful, healthy meal! You can give this timeless classic salad a new look every time you make it by choosing different greens, meats, and dressings. My version is loaded with lean protein and dressed with a yummy skinny ranch dressing. Each huge salad, including dressing, has 265 calories and 9 grams of fat. Makes a very satisfying lunch or main course dinner.
Why You’ll Love My Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad
Tired of salads that leave you hungry, or worse, feeling like you’ve eaten nothing but air? Then you are absolutely going to adore my Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad: So Easy and Satisfying recipe! This isn’t just any salad; it’s a vibrant, hearty, and incredibly filling meal designed to keep you energized and satisfied for hours. You’ll love it because it takes the classic chef salad and elevates it with smart, “skinny” choices that don’t skimp on flavor or texture. We’re talking about a generous bed of crisp greens loaded with a power-packed combination of lean proteins like turkey, ham, and hard-boiled eggs, plus a colorful medley of fresh vegetables and just enough cheese to make it feel indulgent. It’s the ultimate answer to quick, healthy lunches or light dinners, incredibly simple to assemble, and bursting with deliciousness in every single bite. Get ready to rethink what a salad can be – this one is truly a complete and incredibly satisfying meal that you’ll crave again and again!
Ingredients For Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad: So Easy and Satisfying
Get ready to build the ultimate satisfying salad! Every ingredient in my Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad plays a crucial role in delivering flavor, texture, and powerful nutrition to keep you full and happy. Let’s dive into what makes each component so fantastic:
The Best Skinny Ranch, Skinny Thousand Island, or Lite Store-Bought Ranch Dressing
The dressing is the heart of any great salad, and here we’re all about flavor without the calorie overload! You’ll need 2 tablespoons of either my signature “The Best Skinny Ranch Dressing” or “Skinny Thousand Island Dressing”, both recipes you can find on my blog. These homemade versions are specifically designed to deliver all the zesty, creamy goodness you love, but with significantly fewer calories and fat. If you’re short on time, a lite store-bought ranch dressing is a perfectly fine alternative; just be sure to check the nutrition labels to keep things “skinny.” This dressing ties all the incredible flavors of the salad together, making every bite absolutely delicious.
Romaine Lettuce
Our vibrant, crisp foundation! 4 cups of chopped romaine lettuce provides the perfect crunchy base for our hearty chef salad. Romaine is not only wonderfully refreshing, but it’s also a fantastic source of vitamins K and A, and it holds up beautifully to all the delicious toppings. It’s the ideal choice for a substantial salad that won’t wilt under the weight of your delicious protein additions.
Ham (Chopped or Julienne)
Adding a savory, smoky punch! You’ll use ½ cup (about 1½ ounces) of ham, chopped or julienne.1 Shopping tip: To keep this salad as healthy as possible, look for ham with no nitrates or nitrites. Many deli hams are loaded with these additives, so a quick check of the label ensures you’re making the best choice.2 Ham provides a fantastic salty counterpoint to the fresh veggies and a good dose of lean protein, making your salad much more satisfying.
Roasted Turkey Breast (Chopped or Julienne)
Another lean protein superstar! We’re including ½ cup (about 1½ ounces) of roasted turkey breast, chopped or julienne. Like the ham, turkey breast is an excellent source of lean protein, which is key for satiety and muscle health. Its mild flavor makes it incredibly versatile, blending seamlessly with the other ingredients while boosting the protein content to truly make this a meal.
Hard-Boiled Egg (Chopped or Grated)
The classic chef salad staple for a reason! One hard-boiled egg, chopped or grated, adds a creamy texture and another layer of high-quality protein to our salad. Eggs are packed with essential nutrients, including choline, and their richness adds a luxurious feel to the salad, helping to keep you full and satisfied.
Grape or Cherry Tomatoes (Halved)
Adding pops of color and juicy sweetness! ½ cup of halved grape or cherry tomatoes brings a burst of fresh, vibrant flavor and a lovely acidity that brightens up the entire salad. These little gems are also loaded with antioxidants like lycopene, making your salad not just tasty, but super nutritious too.
Small Avocado (Pitted and Chopped)
Our healthy fat hero (and it’s optional, but highly recommended)! A ¼ cup of pitted and chopped small avocado adds an incredible creaminess and a dose of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. While it’s optional if you’re really watching calories, a little avocado goes a long way in adding richness and satiety, ensuring this salad keeps you feeling full and happy long after you’ve finished eating. It’s truly a texture and flavor enhancer!Together, these ingredients create a symphony of flavors and textures, making your “Skinny” High Protein Chef Salad a truly easy and satisfying meal!
How to Make Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad
Alright, my healthy food fans, let’s bring this incredible Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad to life! This recipe is all about maximizing flavor and satisfaction with minimal effort, making it absolutely perfect for a quick, nutritious lunch or a light, refreshing dinner. Get ready to assemble your new favorite salad!
Step-by-Step Guide to Your Super Satisfying Chef Salad!
1. Prepare Your Delicious Skinny Dressing (Ahead of Time!)The secret to any amazing salad is a fantastic dressing, and for this Chef Salad, you’ll want to prepare your dressing ahead of time and refrigerate it. Whether you’re using my “Best Skinny Ranch Dressing” or “Skinny Thousand Island Dressing” from the blog, or a store-bought lite ranch, having it chilled allows the flavors to meld beautifully. This step is usually done first as it can take a bit of time for homemade dressings to fully develop their taste, but it’s crucial for the overall success and deliciousness of your salad!2. Assemble Your Main Course Salad: The FoundationNow for the fun part – building your individual, satisfying salad! To make 1 main course salad, grab a nice, large dinner-sized plate. You want plenty of room to showcase all those vibrant ingredients! First, place 4 cups of crisp, chopped romaine lettuce as the generous foundation of your salad. This creates a refreshing bed for all your delicious toppings.3. Layer on the Protein Powerhouses and Fresh VeggiesNext, it’s time to layer on those incredible, satisfying ingredients that make this a true chef salad! Evenly top your lettuce base with ½ cup of chopped or julienne ham (remember to look for nitrate-free options for that “skinny” win!). Follow that with another ½ cup of chopped or julienne roasted turkey breast. These lean proteins are what will keep you full and energized. Then, add your creamy 1 chopped or grated hard-boiled egg – it provides a lovely texture and another protein boost. After that, scatter ½ cup of halved grape or cherry tomatoes over the top; these little bursts of sweetness and juiciness add fantastic color and flavor. Finally, if you’re like me and love that creamy, healthy fat, now’s the time to add your ¼ cup of small, pitted, and chopped avocado (if desired). This optional ingredient adds a luxurious richness that truly elevates the salad experience!4. Drizzle and Enjoy!Your beautiful, high-protein salad is almost ready! Now, it’s time to add that finishing touch of flavor. Drizzle 2 generous tablespoons of your prepared skinny salad dressing all over the top of the salad. Make sure to get some dressing on all those delicious components! Taste a little bit, and if you like your salads extra dressed, feel free to add more if desired – it’s your salad, so make it perfect for you!5. Scale Up for Family or Meal Prep!The best part about this recipe? It’s incredibly flexible! This recipe is designed for one super satisfying main course salad, but it’s effortlessly scalable. You can easily double, triple, and so on the ingredients to make enough for your entire family, or to prep multiple healthy lunches for the week ahead. Just remember to scale all ingredients proportionally for consistent deliciousness.And there you have it – a vibrant, hearty, and incredibly easy Super Healthy High Protein Chef Salad that’s truly satisfying and keeps you on track with your healthy eating goals. Enjoy every delicious, guilt-free bite!
Helpful Tips About this Recipe
Food Facts
The Chef Salad is thought to be invented by chef Victor Seydoux at the Hotel Buffalo in Buffalo, New York. Trying to save money, he started putting small slices of meat and cheese in salads for some of his customers.
Shopping Tips
I used delicious, lean ham that I bought at Trader Joe’s. It’s uncured and contains ‘no nitrates.’
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 2-Blue
WW SmartPoints 5-Green
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 main course salad with dressing and w/o avocado 265 cal, 9g fat, 2g sat.fat, 250mg chol, 33g prot, 14g carbs, 5g fiber, 317mg sod, 5g sugar SKINNY FACTS: for 1 main course salad with dressing and avocado 337 cal, 16g fat,2g sat. fat, 251mg chol, 34g prot, 18g carbs, 8g fiber, 320mg sod, 5g sugar |
|
FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints with dressing and w/o avocado 83 calories, 0g sat. fat, 10g protein, 2g sugar |
