Protein-packed Chicken Cobb Salad loaded with tender chicken, crispy bacon, creamy avocado and tangy blue cheese all tossed in a delicious red wine vinaigrette! A fresh, hearty and satisfying salad that is perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
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If you are in need of filling, protein-packed lunches or meals, then look no further than this Chicken Cobb Salad! Packed with tender chicken, hard-boiled eggs, crisp bacon, leafy greens and fresh tomatoes to create a hearty salad that provides plenty of protein, fiber and healthy fats to meet your goals. The perfect balance of fresh ingredients and savory toppings, making it a meal-worthy salad that feels both nourishing and indulgent.
Why You’ll Love This
Nutritious – this salad is loaded with fresh produce, lots of protein, healthy fats and fiber. A salad that is both satisfying and balanced.
Packed with protein – this meal-sized salad is packed with 30 grams of protein thanks to the chicken, bacon, eggs and blue cheese crumbles.
Customizable – you can easily swap ingredients, add extra vegetables, or change the dressing depending on your taste preferences.
Great for meal prep – many of the components in this salad can be prepared ahead of time, making it easy to assemble when you are ready to eat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
romaine lettuce – I used two head of romaine lettuce to form the base of this salad! Romaine provides the perfect crunch, but a mix of greens also works well.
chicken – tender diced or shredded chicken breasts add protein and make this salad filling. Rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken in your fridge work great too for convenience.
tomatoes – you can use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes to bring brightness and freshness to this salad.
bacon – crispy bacon adds smoky flavor and a delicious crunch to this salad. You can use turkey bacon
hard-boiled eggs – chopped eggs add richness and additional protein to this salad. Make sure to check out my fool-proof method for making hard-boiled eggs right in the Instant Pot! They come out perfect every time.
avocado – adds a creaminess to this salad that balances the savory ingredients while adding healthy fats.
blue cheese – traditional Cobb salads use crumbled blue cheese for its bold, tangy flavor, but you could also use crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese or even shaved parmesan cheese.
red wine vinaigrette – the perfect dressing for this Cobb salad made with a mixture of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, shallots, oregano, salt and black pepper.
fresh chives – add flavor and a fresh pop of color. Feel free to use other fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, green onions, basil, or even tarragon.
How to Make a Chicken Cobb Salad
Prepare the ingredients. Cook the bacon until crispy and set aside to cool before chopping. Cook the hardboiled eggs (I like using this method), then peel and chop the eggs. Dice the cooked chicken, slice the avocado and tomatoes and chop the lettuce.
Make the dressing. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a medium jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously to emulsify. You can also whisk the dressing in a small bowl.
Assemble the salad. Traditionally, Cobb salads are arranged in neat rows across the lettuce base, but feel free to assemble this salad in a large bowl however you’d like.
Dress and serve. Drizzle the red wine vinaigrette evenly over the salad just before serving and gently toss the salad to combine. Serve and enjoy!
What is the Best Way to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs?
I love using my Instant Pot! Check out my fool-proof method for making hard-boiled eggs right in the Instant Pot in just 15 minutes. So much easier than the stove top, trust me.
Tips for Making the Best Cobb Salad
Use fresh, crisp lettuce – the lettuce is the foundation of this salad, so make sure it’s thoroughly washed and dried for the best texture. I love using this salad spinner to get fresh, crunchy lettuce.
Cooked chicken – I recommend making my quick air fryer chicken for this recipe or you could use grilled chicken, leftover chicken or simply use a rotisserie chicken.
Cut ingredients evenly – small uniform pieces make the salad easier to eat and ensures every bite has a mix of flavors.
Prep ahead of time – I recommend prepping all the different components of this salad ahead of time and store in the fridge right before serving.
Cook the bacon until crispy – crispy bacon adds essential crunch and prevents the salad from becoming soggy.
Use high-quality blue cheese – a good blue cheese makes a big difference in flavor and creaminess.
Variations
Southwestern – add a Tex-Mex spin by adding in corn, black beans, diced bell peppers and cilantro. You can also swap the dressing for cilantro lime vinaigrette or a chipotle ranch for a both Southwestern flavor.
Mediterranean – give the salad a Mediterranean feel by replacing the blue cheese with feta cheese, adding cucumbers, red onion, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley along with a lemon vinaigrette as the dressing.
Keto or low-carb – Cobb salad is naturally lower in carbs, but you can make it ever more keto-friendly by adding in extra avocado, bacon and cheese, while keeping the dressing simple with olive oil and vinegar.
Vegetarian – for a meatless version, omit the chicken and bacon and replace them with roasted chickpeas, grilled tofu or crispy tempeh. These ingredients still provide protein while keeping the salad hearty and satisfying.
Swap the protein – you can easily swap the chicken for a different protein such as steak, salmon or shrimp. You can also use plant-based protein as noted above.
Swap the cheese – if blue cheese isn’t your thing, other great options include crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese, gorgonzola, or shaved parmesan.
Use your favorite dressing – this salad uses a simple red wine vinaigrette, but feel free to use whatever salad dressing you like best! This creamy avocado ranch or this lemon dijon dressing both make great alternatives.
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Prepping this Salad Ahead of Time
The great thing about this salad is that all the components can easily be prepped at the beginning of the week and stored separately in containers until assembling.
The chicken can be cooked up to 3 to 4 days ahead of time and tastes great warm or cold on the salad. I recommend using my air fryer chicken recipe or you can use rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken for convenience.
The cooked bacon can be pre-chopped into small pieces and stored in the fridge in a sealed container 1 to 2 days in advance.
The peeled hard-boiled eggs can be stored whole in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days then chopped right before assembling the salad.
The red wine vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in a sealed mason jar or sealed, airtight container. When ready to use, give it a good shake to mix everything up.
The romaine lettuce can be washed and stored in a container in the fridge until you are ready to prepare the salad.
The tomatoes and shallots can be chopped ahead of time and stored in separate containers for 2 days until ready to assemble the salad. You can also crumble the cheese ahead of time too, if needed.
More Delicious Salads
Blackened Shrimp and Corn Salad
Hope you all enjoy this Easy Chicken Cobb Salad! If you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a star rating below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny!
Chicken Cobb Salad
Ingredients
For the Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil1/4 cup red wine vinegar1 Tbsp Dijon mustard2 tsp honey2 cloves garlic minced2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots1 tsp dried oregano1/4 tsp each salt + pepper
Instructions
Nutrition
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