If the salad won't be tossed, dress the ingredients separately. You can do this in an oversize bowl with a set of kitchen tongs. Dress the ingredients one at a time, using a small amount of dressing for each ingredient. We do this with the Grilled Vegetable Salad. If some of the ingredients are messy, such as avocados, do them last.
Most salads have a base, usually made of lettuce.
The body of the salad goes on top of the base. Garnishes and dressing are the final components of a classic salad. These rules of tradition often are broken, with very favorable results. The greens and the chicken make up the body of the salad and are mounded together in the center of the plate. Our Chicken Salad uses Napa cabbage instead of lettuce.