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    Ask Chef Dennis » Recipes » Starters » Salad Recipes » The Perfect Summer Salad

    The Perfect Summer Salad

    Published: Aug 16, 2013 · Modified: Jun 18, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley · 22 Comments·This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    5 from 3 votes
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    How to make the perfect summer salad!

    One of my favorite pastimes is going to our Farmer’s Market every Saturday, but with all the conferences I’ve been attending this summer, I haven’t had many opportunities to take advantage of our market. Luckily for me, while I haven’t made many shopping trips to our farmers market this summer, our local Wegman’s has done an excellent job bringing in many of the local fruits and vegetables we that Lisa and I love to eat.

    With a push toward’s healthier eating I have been trying to add more salads to our diet, not only as a side salad but also as the main course. And while I don’t think Lisa would complain much if I topped our entrée salads with crabmeat, shrimp or lobster every time I made them, it wouldn’t be long before I would be tired of the same old salad…sigh   Variety is the spice of life!

    salad of feta cheese, sliced peaches, grilled chicken, sliced tomatoes and corn on a white plate

    A few weekends ago I was at the Big Summer Potluck, and one of the items in our swag bag was an amazing assortment of  Gourmet Garden herbs. This was my first experience working with them, and I have to say they certainly make life easier using these delicious freshly prepared herbs. Not only did I make a  wonderful marinade out of some of them, but I used the basil for my tomato salad that went on this lovely summer salad…..sigh   It’s a beautiful thing when you can eat something this healthy that tastes that good.

    partial overhead view of a salad of feta cheese, sliced peaches, grilled chicken, sliced tomatoes and corn on a white plate

    I really hadn’t planned on making this salad with these specific ingredients but since they were all on hand, so they found their way into my dinner salad. When composing a dinner salad, it’s important to have a good selection of ingredients, your salad should be balanced for flavors, textures, and colors. While I got my flavor profiles and textures taken care of I do think I was one color short on making this salad visually stimulating….sigh    I thought about adding olives but the flavor profile just didn’t seem right with the peaches and corn. Fresh Peas may have been the perfect color addition, but I don’t think the texture would have been right. What would you have used?

    In any event, while not quite a visually stimulating as I would have hoped for, the taste and textures were outrageously delicious and got two thumbs up from Lisa, and since she’s the one person whose approval means the most to me, I was a happy man.

    If you enjoyed this recipe you might also like these:

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    JSummer Salad with Chicken , feta, peaches, tomatoes and roasted corn
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 3 votes

    The Perfect Summer Salad Recipe

    When your looking for a salad that won't have you walking away hungry, try my summertime salad full of delicousness!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 656kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups field greens or chopped romaine lettuce
    • 1 peach peeled and sliced
    • ½ cup feta cheese crumbles
    • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs marinated with your choice of spices
    • 1 ear corn kernels cut off the ear
    • 2 Roma tomatoes sliced and marinated with olive oil basil and sea salt
    • extra virgin olive oil to taste
    • balsamic vinegar to taste
    • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Marinate chicken thighs for 3-4 hours (overnite is best) in extra virgin olive oil, and your choice of fresh herbs and spices. I used basil, garlic and spicy red pepper from Gourmet Gardens
    • Grill chicken thighs until done, set aside until cool. When fully cool, slice into strips
    • Place ear of corn directly on grill and allow to cook until tender. Set aside until cool and then cut the kernels off of the corn cob to use when assembly salad
    • Peel Peach and cut into slices, set aside
    • slice Roma tomatoes and add olive oil, sea salt and chopped basil. Mix well and allow to marinate until assembling salad

    Salad Assembly

    • Place field greens on large serving platter
    • Starting from the middle, place strips of cooked chicken thighs and then work your way out to the edges alternating colors to form a pleasing display.
    • Serve with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Sea Salt and Black Pepper or your favorite salad dressing, and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 656kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 256mg | Sodium: 604mg | Potassium: 1010mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 9284IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 240mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    Thanks for stopping by today! Now get outside and enjoy this beautiful summer day!

    « Easy Peach Pecan Pound Cake Recipe
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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. kita

      September 05, 2013 at 10:22 pm

      I’ve been staring at this salad in the slider as I edit for two hours now… I think it was the feta that finally thre me over the edge… I really want a big salad now! – See more at: https://www.askchefdennis.com/2013/08/summer-salad/#comment-121147

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis Littley

        September 06, 2013 at 4:45 pm

        LOL….you’ve probably seen more of my posts that you want to, with all the work you’re doing to my site! Luckily almost everything I post is Fat Kid Friendly!

        Reply
    2. Sandie@afoodieaffair.com

      August 22, 2013 at 8:09 am

      This looks delicious, fresh and different. I look for salads with lots of “other stuff” in them besides lettuce. This looks delicious!

      Reply
    3. Mary

      August 21, 2013 at 10:19 pm

      I love markets too! Your salad looks delicious. I see you’ve added fruit, that’s also a favorite additions to my salads!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 21, 2013 at 10:33 pm

        thanks Mary, and thank you for stopping by!

        Reply
    4. Julia Ann

      August 19, 2013 at 1:02 pm

      5 stars
      Such a simple and pretty salad, a new take on the cobb salad. I go to the farmer’s market every Saturday for wonderful peaches and tomatoes in Indiana.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 19, 2013 at 6:57 pm

        thanks Julia Ann, it was nice variation on a classic cobb

        Reply
    5. Kim | a little lunch

      August 19, 2013 at 2:10 am

      A chiffonade of fresh basil over the top is the only thing I could think of, Dennis, with possibly a drizzle of honey mustard for a sweeter aspect or a few drops of olive oil to pick up on the marinade. Frankly, I was too busy “devouring” the idea of this salad to alter it. 🙂

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 19, 2013 at 6:59 am

        thanks Kim, those are some great ideas! Glad you enjoyed the salad

        Reply
    6. Terra

      August 17, 2013 at 10:26 pm

      Going to farmers markets is the highlight of my week! Love that you combined peaches with this fabulous salad! Yum, Take care, Terra

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 18, 2013 at 5:59 am

        It is for me too, I finally got to go again yesterday and I had make two trips to the car, I had bought so much fresh produce!

        Reply
    7. Vicki Bensinger

      August 17, 2013 at 8:48 am

      Nice salad. I live the addition of peaches.

      Hope you enjoyed your visit in St Louis. Sorry I missed it.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 17, 2013 at 10:01 pm

        Thanks Vicki! I had a great time in St.Louis, and the weather couldn’t have been better.

        Reply
    8. adam @unorthodoxepicure

      August 17, 2013 at 8:20 am

      Looks wonderful!

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 17, 2013 at 8:31 am

        Thanks Adam!

        Reply
    9. hasna

      August 17, 2013 at 6:40 am

      Peach nd chicken..sounds wonderful

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 17, 2013 at 8:31 am

        Thanks! It really was a nice combination

        Reply
    10. Tony Rose

      August 17, 2013 at 12:32 am

      5 stars
      Looks and sounds great chef.

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 17, 2013 at 8:32 am

        Thanks Tony!

        Reply
    11. Louise

      August 16, 2013 at 7:35 pm

      5 stars
      I think your “perfect” summer salad sounds wonderful Chef Dennis!

      I’ve been quite pleased with Wegman’s local vegetable selection this year. The one thing I found since moving to PA is there really isn’t as big of a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables that I anticipated. I’m sure it’s because I live in central PA by many, many, dairy farms who grow lots and lots of corn and soybeans.

      I don’t know much about presentation so the only addition I can think of is edible flowers. Perhaps some Nasturtiums. Mine are still blooming…

      Thank you so much for sharing…

      Reply
      • Chef Dennis

        August 17, 2013 at 8:32 am

        Thanks Louise! I like the idea of flowers on it, especially some contrasting colours!

        Reply

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