Fresh ingredients and a made from scratch dressing combine to make this Easy Chicken Cobb Salad. A restaurant quality salad you can easily make at home in under 30 minutes.
Have you been indulging just a bit more these days? Well, you’re not alone.
We have consumed our fair share of carbs over the past couple of months but I can only do so much indulging before the salad craving strikes. Chicken Cobb Salad is at the top of my list of favorites so I’m sharing my easy version of this classic recipe with hopes you’ll add some leafy, crunchy, nutrition to your menu soon. My entire group here loves this protein loaded salad.
I’ve been missing my go to Northern California restaurants. There were several I would rotate through whenever I needed a salad fix. Since our move to Oregon last summer, I’ve been on a quest to find the perfect salad here but I have yet to find it. We’ve been making a point to order out once every week or two to support our local restaurants here so my quest continues!
But, here’s the thing. You can create this Easy Chicken Cobb Salad at home in under 30 minutes. If you’re a salad lover like me, I promise this is going to resolve any deep, lingering salad cravings you may be having.
Table of contents
What Makes it a Cobb Salad?
The thing that separates a Cobb Salad from others are the lovely rows of ingredients that lie neatly over a bed of greens. The ingredients should be abundant and in the equal proportions so that it’s a great mix of texture and flavor. A good balance of greens and lots of “stuff” is my definition of the perfect Cobb Salad.
I don’t toss the salad before serving. Leaving the ingredients neatly lined up allows people to take a little more of what they love and leave others behind. It is beyond my comprehension but somehow my husband doesn’t care for hard-boiled eggs.
Whatever, man. More for us.
Chicken Cobb Salad Ingredients
- Greens including romaine lettuce (see my note below)
- Fully cooked chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is a great option)
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Crisp cooked bacon
- Avocado
- Crumbled blue cheese (Roquefort, Gorgonzola or any variety you love)
- Radishes (not a traditional ingredient but I love them in this salad)
- Freshly ground black pepper
Variations
Old school Cobb Salad recipes typically include both romaine and watercress. I always include romaine but substitute a spring green mix for the watercress in my easy version of this salad. Any greens you love or have on hand will do the trick.
The ingredients listed above, except the radishes, are what I consider to be necessary in any proper Chicken Cobb Salad. From there you can add or subtract to suit your taste. For instance, I love the fresh, spring element that sliced radishes add.
Blue cheese is a key element to the flavor of Cobb salad but you can substitute it with feta cheese if you prefer.
How to Make Chicken Cobb Salad
- Scatter the chopped romaine and torn spring greens across the bottom of a low shallow bowl or large platter and toss lightly to combine.
- Add the fully cooked chicken, halved grape tomatoes, sliced avocado, sliced radishes (if using), bacon, eggs and blue cheese over the top of the greens in neat rows. Season the salad with freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
The Best Dressing for Cobb Salad
I love this Classic Cobb Salad Dressing SO much. It is what I consider to be the perfect all-purpose salad dressing. Simple, easy to make and so, so tasty. The recipe makes more than you will need for this salad but it keeps well for up to two weeks if refrigerated in an airtight container.
It will be there for you to dress another salad on another day.
A lot of California restaurants serve their Chicken Cobb Salads with a creamy Ranch dressing or Blue Cheese dressing but for an authentic experience you should give this “French Vinaigrette” a try. It is an authentic Cobb Salad dressing.
That being said, this salad is SO good with a little vinaigrette and a drizzle of a creamy dressing. I like to put out some high quality store bought creamy dressings like Litehouse Homemade Ranch Dressing and Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing. Options are good!
More Main Dish Salads You’ll Love
- Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad
- Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad
- Shrimp Caesar Salad
- Check out my entire collection of salad recipes for more inspiration.
Easy Chicken Cobb Salad
Ingredients
Chicken Cobb Salad:
- 3 cups well chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups torn spring greens
- 2 cups chopped fully cooked chicken, (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes, about 8 ounces
- 2 avocados, chopped
- ½ cup sliced radishes, (optional but we love them)
- 6 strips bacon,, cooked and crumbled
- ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved or quartered
- freshly ground black pepper
Classic Cobb Salad Dressing (French Vinaigrette)
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup canola oil, or another neutral-tasting oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
Instructions
For the Cobb Salad
- Scatter the chopped romaine and torn spring greens across the bottom of a low shallow bowl or salad platter and toss lightly to combine.
- Add the rotisserie chicken, halved grape tomatoes, avocado, radishes (if using), bacon, eggs and blue cheese over the top of the greens in neat rows. Season the salad with freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
For the Classic Cobb Salad Dressing
- Add all ingredients to a wide mouth pint-sized mason jar, seal tightly, and shake it like crazy. Dressing will emulsify (thicken) when you shake it up really well.
- Drizzle the dressing over individual servings of the Classic Cobb Salad.
- Makes about 1 cup of dressing. Leftover dressing keeps well if refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Classic Cobb Salad Dressing adapted from David Lebovitz
Valerie’s Kitchen will be donating a percentage of profits to charities that are helping aid families in need during this challenging time. This month that charity is World Central Kitchen who through their #ChefsForAmerica nationwide emergency food relief program, is committing to purchasing 1 million meals from local restaurants, and delivering those meals directly to Americans that need assistance.
This was a great recipe. I was looking for a recipe to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken and this one popped up in a search. My husband loved the dressing. I think some people like myself should add a little bit of honey, maple syrup or sugar to offset the sourness of the dressing. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! I agree that a little sweetness is very nice in a vinaigrette. Honey is my sweetner of choice. Thanks so much for your comment, Jeanette! 🙂