If you’re wondering what to serve with your chef salad, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 39 of the most popular side dishes for chef salad.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with chef salad are artisan crusty bread, baked potatoes, grilled Mediterranean chicken, and marinated London broil. You can also serve crispy skin salmon, spicy garlic croutons, cheese straws, or roasted chickpeas. For something comforting, try cream of mushroom soup.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Artisan no-knead bread
Whether you’re a baking pro or still a beginner, this shortcut (no kneading!) artisan bread is a must-try.
It doesn’t take much work, but it will require some patience because the dough needs to rest for at least 12 hours.
But it’s absolutely worth the wait once you see that crisp, rustic crust and soft, chewy interior.
Why we love this recipe: nothing beats the aroma of freshly baked bread.
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Foolproof artisan no-knead bread
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Irish soda bread
Feel like a pro
Sourdough bread
Grilled Mediterranean chicken
This recipe is all about the marinade, which transforms ordinary chicken breasts into a Mediterranean feast.
Marinating the chicken overnight is always recommended, but you can get away with 30 minutes if you’re in a rush.
If you can only afford a 30-minute soak, use lemon juice instead of lemon zest to help tenderize and flavor the meat quickly.
Why we love this recipe: it’s very versatile – you can use the chicken for salads, sandwiches, soups, and more.
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Grilled Mediterranean chicken
Skip the grill
Baked balsamic chicken breast
Make it fancy
Spinach-stuffed chicken breast
Baked potato
Chef salad is almost a complete meal, the only thing it lacks is a starchy element to make it more satisfying.
And that’s where a classic baked potato comes in.
The recipe recommends two rounds of baking to help you achieve the fluffiest baked spuds you’ve ever had.
Why we love this recipe: it requires very little hands-on cooking.
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Baked potato
Make it different
Roasted smashed duck fat potatoes
Make it fun
Cheesy loaded Hasselback potatoes
Spicy garlic croutons
Beef up your chef salad with these homemade croutons.
Before roasting, the bread cubes are tossed in a mixture of garlic, melted butter, and red pepper flakes. This adds a buttery bite and a hint of heat to your salad. Yum!
Psst… don’t want the spice? Simply skip the red pepper flakes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s impossible to mess up.
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Spicy garlic croutons
Add a Southern twist
Cornbread croutons
Make it cheesy
Cheese croutons
Marinated London broil
Like flank steak, London broil is an affordable but tough cut of meat.
The key to perfecting it is to marinate the meat for as long as possible – this recipe goes for a sophisticated red wine and balsamic marinade.
Psst… don’t forget to rest the meat before slicing and serving with a side of chef salad.
Why we love this recipe: you don’t have to break the bank for a delicious steak dinner.
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Marinated London broil
Fire up the grill
Grilled rosemary flank steak
Make it fun
Rosemary garlic steak kebabs
Crispy skin salmon
My favorite part of a perfectly pan-fried salmon is that crispy skin.
The trick is to cook the fish with the skin side down for about five minutes (without moving it). This gives the skin time to crisp up.
The next trick is to always serve the fish skin-side up. Serve it skin-side down and the crisp will quickly disappear.
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for both regular and special dinners.
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Crispy skin salmon
Make it indulgent
Beer-battered fish
Preheat the oven
Garlic butter baked salmon
Cream of mushroom soup
Homemade mushroom soup boasts a deep, umami flavor from the fresh mushrooms and a rich, luscious consistency you won’t get from a can.
This recipe uses heavy cream to achieve that, but you can easily swap it with evaporated milk for a lighter soup.
This soup is excellent on its own, but it’s even better as an appetizer before a light dinner of chef salad.
Why we love this recipe: it’s perfect for chilly days.
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Cream of mushroom soup
Preheat the oven
Roasted butternut squash soup
Make a classic
Potato leek soup
Tuna salad sandwich
You can’t go wrong serving this delicious tuna sandwich alongside your chef salad.
It’s a simple sandwich, so this recipe recommends using the best quality tuna you can afford for a more intense flavor.
It also calls for cottage cheese. This may sound odd, but it really amps up the richness and creaminess of this sandwich!
Why we love this recipe: it’s great for picnics and light lunches.
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Tuna salad sandwich
Make it fancy
Chicken salad croissant sandwiches
Make it low-carb
Tuna melt-stuffed peppers
Cheese straws
These cheese straws will make the perfect addition to your chef salad.
They’re deliciously crunchy and oh-so-cheesy, with the added cayenne pepper providing a hint of heat.
And the best part? They couldn’t be easier to make.
You probably already have all the ingredients you need.
Why we love this recipe: these are highly addictive.
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Classic cheese straws
Make it Italian-inspired
Parmesan grissini
Make it low-carb
Cauliflower breadsticks
Spaghetti aglio e olio
Spaghetti aglio e olio is one of my favorite pasta dishes.
It’s simple and easy to make but still delivers a big flavor!
The secret to perfecting it? Using high-quality olive oil. This recipe recommends extra-virgin olive oil for best results.
Why we love this recipe: it transforms basic ingredients into a restaurant-worthy dish.
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Spaghetti aglio e olio
Make it cheesy
Cacio e pepe
Keep it simple
Garlicky brown butter parmesan noodles
Sourdough pita bread
Did you know you can make pita bread with a sourdough starter instead of yeast?
It’ll make your pita softer and add a delightful but subtle tang.
Stuff your chef salad into a fluffy pita for a complete and nourishing meal you can enjoy on the go.
Why we love this recipe: you can make a double batch and freeze the rest for later.
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Sourdough pita bread
Make it Indian-style
Garlic naan bread
Skip the yeast
Homemade flour tortillas
Parmesan-crusted pork chops
These mouth-watering pork chops will quickly become a mainstay in your meal rotation.
The recipe recommends flash-frying the crusted chops before finishing them in the oven.
This technique ensures golden, crunchy crusts and tender, juicy pork chops in under 30 minutes.
Why we love this recipe: it’s excellent for those busy weeknight dinners.
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Parmesan-crusted pork chops
Make it saucy
Roasted garlic parmesan pork chops
Fire up the grill
Grilled pork chops
Air fryer chickpeas
Want more protein with your chef salad? Skip the croutons and add these air fryer chickpeas instead.
You can flavor them however you want – seriously you can go wild (I like chili and lime).
Just make sure you pat them dry before roasting them to ensure they crisp up nicely.
Why we love this recipe: these are a great alternative to chips for snacking.
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Air fryer chickpeas
Skip the air fryer
Pan-fried chickpeas
Make it different
Chickpea crackers
The best dishes to serve with chef salad
- Artisan no-knead bread
- Grilled Mediterranean chicken
- Baked potato
- Spicy garlic croutons
- Marinated London broil
- Crispy skin salmon
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Tuna salad sandwich
- Cheese straws
- Spaghetti aglio e olio
- Sourdough pita bread
- Parmesan-crusted pork chops
- Air fryer chickpeas
What To Serve With Chef Salad
Ingredients
- 1 portion chef salad
Instructions
- Prepare your chef salad according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: artisan no-knead bread, grilled Mediterranean chicken, baked potato, spicy garlic croutons, marinated London broil, crispy skin salmon, cream of mushroom soup, tuna salad sandwich, cheese straws, spaghetti aglio e olio, sourdough pita bread, parmesan-crusted pork chops, and air fryer chickpeas.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!