I’m excited to share my Chicken Bacon Cobb Salad, where crisp greens meet juicy chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, creamy avocado, and tangy blue cheese with a little secret in the dressing.

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I always thought a Cobb Salad was just a pile of stuff until I landed on this version. It’s bright, with juicy cooked chicken breasts and crumbly blue cheese crumbles that make every forkful a little wild.

I like to call it a Chicken Bacon Cobb Salad for dinner when I want something honest and satisfying, and it fits right into my Everyday Salad Ideas folder when I need variety. There’s texture, tang and a few surprising notes that keep you guessing, so even if you’ve had a Cobb a hundred times, this one might make you pause.

Ingredients

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mixed salad greens: Light, fibrous and low calorie, gives crunch and a fresh, slightly bitter bite
Chicken: Lean protein, keeps you full, adds savory heft without overpowering other flavors
Bacon: Salty smoky crunch, high in fat and flavor, best in small amounts
Avocado: Creamy texture, rich in heart healthy fats and fiber, balances saltiness
Eggs: Packed with protein and vitamins, yolks add richness and silky mouthfeel
Tomatoes: Juicy, slightly sweet and acidic, bring bright freshness and color
Blue cheese: Bold tangy crumbles, strong flavor, adds salty creamy punch in small bits
Olive oil: Silky vinaigrette base, provides monounsaturated fats and a smooth mouthfeel

Ingredient Quantities

6 cups mixed salad greens romaine and butter lettuce, torn

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped about 2 cups

6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled

3 large hard boiled eggs peeled and quartered

1 ripe avocado sliced

2 medium tomatoes diced or 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved

3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove minced or 1 teaspoon minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce optional

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How to Make this

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1. If your chicken, bacon, and eggs are already cooked as listed, skip this line, otherwise cook them now: pan sear or grill chicken until 165F, bake or fry bacon until crisp, boil eggs for about 9 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel. Let everything cool a little, then chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, crumble the bacon, and quarter the eggs.

2. Put 6 cups mixed salad greens, romaine and butter lettuce, in a large bowl or on a large platter so theres room to arrange toppings.

3. Scatter or row the chopped chicken, crumbled bacon, quartered eggs, sliced ripe avocado, diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and blue cheese crumbles over the greens. Try to keep them in tidy sections for that classic Cobb look, or mix gently if you prefer everything combined.

4. Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar combine 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 small minced garlic clove or 1 teaspoon minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce if using, and a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified.

5. Chop 2 tablespoons chives or scallions fine and add most of them to the dressing, reserving a few for garnish. Give the dressing a quick taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar if it needs brighter acid.

6. Slice the avocado last and fan or lay the slices gently over the salad so they dont get smooshed or brown.

7. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the arranged salad, or serve it on the side so people can take what they want. If you drizzle, do it lightly at first, toss a little, then add more if needed.

8. Sprinkle the reserved chopped chives or scallions and a little extra black pepper on top, plus any remaining blue cheese for visual pop.

9. Serve immediately so the greens stay crisp and the avocado fresh. Leftovers keep ok for a day if you store the dressing separately and add it right before eating.

Equipment Needed

1. Large serving bowl or platter, gives room to arrange the greens and toppings
2. Chef’s knife, sharp, for chopping chicken, dicing tomatoes and slicing avocado
3. Cutting board, use a separate one for meat if you can to avoid cross contamination
4. Skillet or grill pan, to sear chicken and crisp bacon if they arent pre-cooked
5. Saucepan, for boiling eggs if you need to make them
6. Tongs or spatula, for flipping meats and arranging ingredients on the salad
7. Small bowl or jar with lid or a small whisk, to mix or shake the dressing till emulsified
8. Measuring cups and spoons, for the oil, vinegar, mustard and seasonings
9. Salad servers or large tongs, for serving the finished Cobb salad

FAQ

Q: Can I make the salad ahead of time? A: You can prep ingredients up to a day ahead but keep the avocado, dressing and assembled salad separate. Store greens dry in the fridge and assemble right before serving so it stays crisp.

Q: What can I use instead of blue cheese? A: Feta or goat cheese works well, or crumble toasted walnuts or almonds for crunch if you want no dairy.

Q: How should I cook the chicken? A: Poach, roast or pan sear breasts. Season simply with salt and pepper, cook until internal temp reaches 165 F, then chop. Leftover rotisserie chicken is fine too.

Q: Is there a lighter dressing option? A: Yes mix 2 parts red wine vinegar to 3 parts olive oil or use plain yogurt thinned with lemon juice for a creamy lighter version.

Q: How long will leftovers keep? A: Separate leftovers into components if possible. Mixed and dressed salad is best same day. Undressed components keep 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

Cobb Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Cooked chicken breasts: swap with shredded rotisserie chicken for time saving, sliced turkey breast, or for a vegetarian twist use canned chickpeas or firm tofu
Bacon: use turkey bacon or pancetta, or try smoked tempeh if you want a vegetarian smoky bite
Blue cheese crumbles: replace with feta or goat cheese for tang, mild gorgonzola if you want similar flavor, or toasted walnuts for a dairy free crunch
Ripe avocado: use hummus or mashed chickpeas for creaminess, or sliced cucumber or edamame for freshness and extra protein

Pro Tips

1. Season stuff separately. Salt and pepper the chicken, eggs and tomatoes before they hit the greens, otherwise everything tastes flat and like the dressing is doing all the work, not the ingredients.

2. Make and shake the dressing right before serving and taste it. If it feels too sharp add a tiny bit of honey or a pinch of sugar, if it’s too mild add another splash of vinegar, and use a jar to shake it so it emulsifies better.

3. Keep the greens extra dry and cold. Spin them well, chill the bowl for a few minutes, dont add the dressing until you serve or the leaves go limp fast.

4. Protect the avocado and up your presentation. Slice it last, toss slices in a little lemon or lime so they dont brown, and if you want that classic Cobb look arrange the toppings in rows on a platter, people love the way it looks even if its a little extra work.

Cobb Salad Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m excited to share my Chicken Bacon Cobb Salad, where crisp greens meet juicy chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, creamy avocado, and tangy blue cheese with a little secret in the dressing.

Servings

servings

Calories

605

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large serving bowl or platter, gives room to arrange the greens and toppings
2. Chef’s knife, sharp, for chopping chicken, dicing tomatoes and slicing avocado
3. Cutting board, use a separate one for meat if you can to avoid cross contamination
4. Skillet or grill pan, to sear chicken and crisp bacon if they arent pre-cooked
5. Saucepan, for boiling eggs if you need to make them
6. Tongs or spatula, for flipping meats and arranging ingredients on the salad
7. Small bowl or jar with lid or a small whisk, to mix or shake the dressing till emulsified
8. Measuring cups and spoons, for the oil, vinegar, mustard and seasonings
9. Salad servers or large tongs, for serving the finished Cobb salad

Ingredients

6 cups mixed salad greens romaine and butter lettuce, torn
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped about 2 cups
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
3 large hard boiled eggs peeled and quartered
1 ripe avocado sliced
2 medium tomatoes diced or 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove minced or 1 teaspoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce optional
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

If your chicken, bacon, and eggs are already cooked as listed, skip this line, otherwise cook them now: pan sear or grill chicken until 165F, bake or fry bacon until crisp, boil eggs for about 9 minutes, then cool in ice water and peel. Let everything cool a little, then chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, crumble the bacon, and quarter the eggs.
Put 6 cups mixed salad greens, romaine and butter lettuce, in a large bowl or on a large platter so theres room to arrange toppings.
Scatter or row the chopped chicken, crumbled bacon, quartered eggs, sliced ripe avocado, diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and blue cheese crumbles over the greens. Try to keep them in tidy sections for that classic Cobb look, or mix gently if you prefer everything combined.
Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar combine 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 small minced garlic clove or 1 teaspoon minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce if using, and a pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified.
Chop 2 tablespoons chives or scallions fine and add most of them to the dressing, reserving a few for garnish. Give the dressing a quick taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar if it needs brighter acid.
Slice the avocado last and fan or lay the slices gently over the salad so they dont get smooshed or brown.
Drizzle the dressing evenly over the arranged salad, or serve it on the side so people can take what they want. If you drizzle, do it lightly at first, toss a little, then add more if needed.
Sprinkle the reserved chopped chives or scallions and a little extra black pepper on top, plus any remaining blue cheese for visual pop.
Serve immediately so the greens stay crisp and the avocado fresh. Leftovers keep ok for a day if you store the dressing separately and add it right before eating.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.