Sliced chicken over wilted spinach with bacon vinaigrette

Warm Spinach Chicken Salad

Name: Warm Spinach Chicken Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lb boneless chicken thighs; 2 lb baby spinach; 12 slices thick-cut bacon; 1 lb cremini mushrooms; 6 whole hard-boiled eggs; 0.33 cup red wine vinegar; 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 whole shallot; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp kosher salt

Sliced chicken over wilted spinach with bacon vinaigrette for ten

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Serves 8
Difficulty: easy

Chicken thighs roast and slice, then serve over lightly wilted spinach with warm bacon-mustard vinaigrette, sliced mushrooms, and hard-boiled egg. Hearty enough for a cold-night shift.

Why crews like it: Warm salad sounds fancy but it is just smart hall cooking—hot dressing wilts spinach slightly and makes the plate feel like dinner, not diet food.

380Cal

34gProtein

8gCarbs

24gFat

Ingredients

3 lb boneless chicken thighs
2 lb baby spinach
12 slices thick-cut bacon
1 lb cremini mushrooms
6 whole hard-boiled eggs
0.33 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 whole shallot
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp kosher salt

Instructions

Roast the chicken: Season thighs with salt and olive oil. Roast at 425°F on a sheet pan 25–30 minutes until internal temp reaches 165°F. Rest and slice. Target oven/smoker temperature: 425°F.
Cook bacon and mushrooms: Render bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove and chop. Sauté mushrooms in bacon fat 6–8 minutes until golden. Set aside.
Build warm vinaigrette: Whisk vinegar, mustard, and shallot into warm bacon fat off heat. Crumble half the bacon into the dressing.
Wilt the spinach: Toss spinach in a large bowl with warm dressing until leaves just wilt—about 30 seconds of gentle tossing.
Plate and serve: Top wilted spinach with sliced chicken, mushrooms, egg quarters, and remaining bacon crumbles. Serve immediately.

Tonight's spread

Warm spinach salad plated with crusty rolls on the side.
Roasted sweet potato wedges for crew who want more carbs.

Hall tips

Baby spinach handles warm dressing better than mature spinach leaves.
Add sliced red grapes for sweet contrast if your crew likes fruit in salad.
This does not hold—plate to order or assemble in small batches.

Meal prep

Render bacon slowly for best vinaigrette fat. Dress spinach lightly at service—too much and it collapses. Mushrooms sauté just before plating.

Leftovers

Slice cold chicken for sandwiches with leftover bacon.
Use wilted spinach in a frittata the next morning.

Sheet pan
Large skillet
Mixing bowls
Instant-read thermometer
Whisk