Appalachian Trail Salad
Based on:
TypeSalad
Serves4 people
DateSeptember 1, 2026
A winding salad as the Appalachian Trail, with a green finish mountain and golden touches for victory.
A long, winding salad with a golden-brown grilled chicken and crouton path representing the famous hiking trail, ending at a mound of mixed greens as Mount Katahdin. The curving shape on the plate mirrors the trail, with a green mountain finish: victory in gold and green.
Ingredients
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 1 bag mixed salad greens (200 g)
- 600 g chicken thigh fillet
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 baguette
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 100 g Parmesan cheese (shaved)
- 1 box cherry tomatoes (250 g)
- 1 cucumber
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp honey-mustard dressing
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Cut the baguette into cubes. Melt the butter, press the garlic into it, and mix with the bread cubes. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Cut the chicken thigh fillet into long strips. Mix with olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Grill in a grill pan until golden brown and cooked through.
- Slice the cucumber into long ribbons with a peeler. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Wash the romaine lettuce and cut the stalks in half lengthwise. Reserve 4 nice halves for the 'mountain'.
- Mix the salad greens with lemon juice and some dressing.
- On a large platter, lay the mixed greens as a base. Arrange the grilled chicken strips in a winding line diagonally across the plate: the 'trail'.
- At the end of the winding path, place a mound of the halved romaine stalks: Mount Katahdin.
- Scatter croutons along the trail as 'rocks'. Garnish with cucumber ribbons, tomatoes, and Parmesan.
- Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad.
Serving notes
- Serve on a long platter so the trail is clearly visible.
- Sprinkle Parmesan as 'snow' on the lettuce mountain.
- Offer an extra bowl of croutons on the side.