I have been making this dinner salad for most of my adult life. I have great memories of my first apartment by myself in Reno, Nevada. I invited over a good friend, and she and I ate an enormous bowl of this salad. Neither of us could stop! It became a standard of mine that People would request. Sometimes all you want is a good satisfying salad with loads of things in it that make you feel like you are eating healthy. Even though with all those ingredients, it really isn’t the healthiest thing in the world. This dinner salad is very satisfying.
What makes this salad so special is the last-minute toasting of the almonds and onions and adding them still warm along with the warm grilled chicken. When the still warm almonds and onions combine with the Jarlsberg, bringing the cheese up to a just before melting temperature, some magic happens and all the flavors and smells bloom into this fragrant, delicious salad.
For this dinner salad, it is important to layer the ingredients with the cheese being the top layer until you add the warm onions, almonds, and the chicken. I want the cheese to interact with them before you toss with the dressing.
My Dinner salad is packed with grilled chicken, toasted onions, almonds, tasty Jarlsberg cheese, crunchy carrots, and plenty of chunks of cool avocado. Because of all the warm ingredients of this delicious salad, you want to choose greens that will hold up to a bit of warmth. So, I always use at least part iceberg with some butter lettuce and some of the darker baby greens like spinach and radicchio.
This is a salad you can whip up quickly, and yes, I cheat most of the time and pick up some pre-cook grilled chicken. Of course, you could grill your own chicken, and it would be fantastic. I used to use a premade Caesar dressing. But I have been making my own vinaigrette since it is so simple to make and tastes fresher. Feel free to use whatever dressing you like.
Dinner salad packed with warm grilled chicken, toasted onions, almonds, tasty Jarlsberg cheese, crunchy carrots, and plenty of chunks of cool avocado. A very satisfying meal all on it's own!
- 3 cups torn pieces of iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup butter lettuce
- 1 cup baby greens such as spinach, radicchio, red, green lettuce
- 1-2 large avocados cubed and tossed with lemon juice.
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup Sliced Mushrooms
- 1 cup sliced peeled carrots
- 1 cup Jarlsberg cubed
- 1/2 cup extra balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 cup slivered almonds raw
- 2 cups chopped grilled chicken
- Salt and pepper
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For the salad
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In a large bowl layer the lettuce and other greens.
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Spread the cubed and coated in lemon avocados over the lettuce layer.
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Layer on top the sliced green onions, sliced mushrooms, the carrots, and finally the cubed Jarlsberg.
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Set aside until you are ready to finish the salad.
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Make the dressing
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Add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to emulsify.
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For the warm chicken topping.
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet to medium heat.
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Add the onions and sauté until they are translucent and just beginning to brown on the edges.
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Add the almonds and continue to sauté, occasionally stirring until the almonds are toasted to a nice golden brown and the onions have gained more color.
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Season very lightly with salt and pepper.
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Add the cooked chicken if you are using store-bought to heat through. If you have grilled your own, just cut up into cubes and add still warm.
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Let cool for a minute, but the mixture should still be quite warm.
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Spread the still-warm chicken mixture on top of the layered salad.
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Toss and serve immediately with tossed with the dressing or served with dressing on the side.
