Hello hello! Today I'm sharing a copycat version of one of my favorite salads of all time. It's what I almost always order at my favorite lunch spot, La Bou. (For anyone not familiar with La Bou, it's a Northern California bakery and cafe that serves amazing soups, salads, sandwiches, and fresh-baked goods. If you're ever in the area, I definitely recommend stopping in for a quick lunch! And heads up - I shared a copycat version of their sesame soba noodle salad last week!)
Anyway, back to this salad. La Bou's creamy dill dressing is almost legendary in the Sacramento area. In fact, tons of people go to La Bou just to order their creamy dill dressing and fresh-baked baguettes... and then proceed to make a meal out of dipping the bread into the dill dressing. Now, I know that might sound odd (and maybe even a little gross!), but let me assure you it's just a testament to how amazing this dressing is (and how good their fresh baguettes are!).
Admittedly, I think everyone would agree that the above combination is not the most balanced meal imaginable, which is why I love this salad so much. You get the deliciousness of the creamy dill dressing, but with the addition of some nutritious veggies. I hope you give it a try!
House Salad with Teriyaki Chicken + Creamy Dill Dressing
- Butter Leaf Lettuce, washed thoroughly, dried, and torn into pieces
- Tomatoes, sliced
- English cucumber, sliced
- Avocado, mashed
- Swiss cheese, crumbled or chopped into small cubes
- Creamy Dill Dressing (recipe below)
- Cooked chicken breast, sliced (any is fine, but I recommend Teriyaki chicken, recipe below)
Creamy Dill Dressing
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
- 2 tsp. Hidden Valley Ranch buttermilk ranch seasoning packet
- 2-3 Tbsp. fresh dill, washed, dried, and chopped small
- 2-3 Tbsp. milk
- Water, to thin (I used about 2-3 Tbsp.)
Directions for the dressing: Whisk all dressing ingredients together. Add more water, if needed. *Note: you don't want the dressing to be too thick, but rather, to lightly coat the lettuce & veggies on the salad. When the consistency is good, cover the dressing, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Teryaki Chicken Marinade
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup Soy Vay Teriyaki marinade
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 2-4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
Directions for the chicken: Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together. Add the marinade and chicken breasts* to a large ziplock bag, making sure the chicken is equally coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6-8 hours, or overnight. *Note: if the chicken breasts are large, I recommend cutting them in half lengthwise, or even in thirds.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the chicken and marinade into a large baking dish, and cover with aluminum foil. Add the baking dish to the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, and cook uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and starting to get tender. Remove from the oven, and let cool completely before slicing and adding to the salad. *Note: This chicken is great served cold, so it can be cooked the day before, and refrigerated until ready to serve. And actually, I like making a big batch at the beginning of the week, since the leftovers are great for all kinds of salads throughout the week!
To assemble the salads: Put a bed of lettuce onto each plate. Layer the lettuce with sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, 2-3 Tbsp. mashed avocado, 2 Tbsp. swiss cheese crumbles, and sliced teriyaki chicken.
Drizzle evenly with the creamy dill dressing, and enjoy!
