The Ultimate Easy Chicken Cobb Salad with Homemade Cobb Salad Dressing

There’s something magical about a perfectly composed Chicken Cobb Salad that transforms an ordinary meal into an extraordinary culinary experience. This iconic American salad, with its colorful array of fresh ingredients and rich, creamy dressing, has been a restaurant favorite for decades. Today, we’re bringing this classic dish straight to your home kitchen with an easy-to-follow recipe that delivers restaurant-quality results every single time.

The beauty of a Chicken Cobb Salad lies in its perfect balance of flavors and textures. Crisp romaine lettuce provides the fresh, crunchy foundation, while tender grilled chicken adds substantial protein to make this salad a complete meal. The creamy blue cheese crumbles bring a sharp, tangy element that pairs beautifully with the smoky, salty bacon pieces. Fresh avocado adds richness and healthy fats, while hard-boiled eggs contribute additional protein and a silky texture. Cherry tomatoes provide bursts of sweet acidity that brighten every bite, and the homemade Cobb salad dressing ties everything together with its perfect blend of tangy and creamy flavors.

What sets this recipe apart is the attention to detail in both preparation and presentation. Unlike store-bought dressings that often contain preservatives and artificial flavors, our homemade Cobb salad dressing uses simple, high-quality ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. The combination of mayonnaise, blue cheese, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs creates a dressing that’s both indulgent and fresh.

This Chicken Cobb Salad is incredibly versatile and perfect for various occasions. Whether you’re planning a light lunch, preparing meal prep containers for the week, hosting a summer gathering, or looking for a satisfying dinner that won’t leave you feeling heavy, this salad delivers on all fronts. The recipe is easily scalable, making it ideal for feeding a crowd or preparing individual portions.

The nutritional benefits of this salad are impressive. Each serving provides a substantial amount of high-quality protein from the chicken and eggs, healthy monounsaturated fats from the avocado, and essential vitamins and minerals from the fresh vegetables. The combination of protein and healthy fats helps keep you satisfied for hours, making this an excellent choice for those following low-carb or ketogenic diets.

Preparation is straightforward and can be partially done in advance. The chicken can be grilled ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Hard-boiled eggs can be prepared in batches and kept on hand for quick assembly. The dressing actually improves in flavor when made a day ahead, allowing the ingredients to meld together beautifully.

The key to an exceptional Chicken Cobb Salad lies in the quality of ingredients and proper assembly. Choose the freshest romaine lettuce with crisp, vibrant leaves. Look for ripe but firm avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure. High-quality bacon makes a significant difference in flavor, so opt for thick-cut, applewood-smoked varieties when possible. For the blue cheese, crumbled varieties work well, but you can also crumble your own from a wedge for the freshest flavor.

Assembly is almost as important as the ingredients themselves. The traditional Cobb salad presentation features ingredients arranged in neat rows over the lettuce, creating a beautiful, restaurant-style appearance. However, you can also toss all ingredients together for a more casual presentation. Either way, the combination of flavors and textures creates a truly satisfying meal.

This recipe serves four generously or six as a lighter portion. The total preparation time is approximately 30 minutes, assuming you have pre-cooked chicken available. If you need to cook the chicken from scratch, add an additional 15-20 minutes to your preparation time.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

• 2 large heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or sliced
• 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved or chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped (optional)

For the Homemade Cobb Salad Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (chives, parsley, or dill)

Instructions

1. Begin by preparing all your salad components. If you haven’t already cooked your chicken, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then grill or pan-sear until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Allow to cool completely before dicing.
2. Cook bacon strips in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble into bite-sized pieces once cooled.
3. Prepare hard-boiled eggs by placing eggs in a saucepan, covering with cold water, and bringing to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, cover, and let stand 12 minutes. Transfer to ice water, then peel and halve or chop as desired.
4. Wash and thoroughly dry romaine lettuce, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Pat completely dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner.
5. Prepare the homemade Cobb salad dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, blue cheese crumbles, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard in a medium bowl.
6. Season the dressing with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The dressing should be creamy but pourable. Add water one tablespoon at a time if too thick.
7. Dice the avocados just before serving to prevent browning. Toss lightly with a bit of lemon juice if preparing in advance.
8. Arrange the chopped romaine lettuce in a large serving bowl or divide among individual plates as the base.
9. Arrange the chicken, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and blue cheese crumbles in neat rows over the lettuce for traditional presentation, or toss all ingredients together.
10. Drizzle the homemade Cobb salad dressing over the assembled salad, or serve dressing on the side for individual preference.
11. Garnish with fresh chives if desired and serve immediately with additional dressing on the side.
12. For meal prep, store components separately in airtight containers and assemble just before eating to maintain optimal freshness and prevent soggy lettuce.

Easy Chicken Cobb Salad with Homemade Cobb Salad Dressing

A classic American salad featuring grilled chicken, bacon, blue cheese, avocado, and hard-boiled eggs with creamy homemade dressing.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American, Salad

Calories: 485

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Salad

• 2 large heads romaine lettuce chopped
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast diced
• 6 strips thick-cut bacon cooked and crumbled
• 4 hard-boiled eggs halved
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 2 ripe avocados diced
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 0.25 cup fresh chives chopped, optional

Dressing

• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• 0.25 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 0.25 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board

Method

 

1. Prepare all salad components. Cook chicken if needed and let cool completely before dicing.
2. Cook bacon strips until crispy, drain on paper towels, and crumble when cooled.
3. Hard-boil eggs, cool in ice water, peel, and halve or chop as desired.
4. Wash, dry, and chop romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
5. Make dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, blue cheese, Worcestershire, and Dijon mustard.
6. Season dressing with salt, pepper, and herbs. Adjust consistency with water if needed.
7. Dice avocados just before serving and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
8. Arrange lettuce as base in serving bowl or individual plates.
9. Top with chicken, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, avocado, and blue cheese in neat rows or toss together.
10. Drizzle with dressing and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

Notes

For best results, prepare components separately and assemble just before serving. Dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in refrigerator.