Easy Chicken Cobb Salad with the best homemade Cobb Salad Dressing! This protein-packed salad is a meal in itself loaded with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, chicken, bacon, boiled eggs, creamy avocado, and crumbled blue cheese.

You will want the easy Balsamic Vinaigrette on all of your salads. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be craving this Classic Cobb Salad.

Cobb salad on a platter with chicken, bacon, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, blue cheese and dressing in a mason jar

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Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe

The original Cobb Salad was developed by Bob Cobb in 1937 for his Brown Derby Restaurant in Los Angeles. It has become a famous American dish and is similar to a Chef’s Salad. It starts with a bed of green lettuce with rows of ingredients arranged over the top just like we did in our Salmon Cobb Salad, or Shrimp Cobb Salad, and it is served with a vinaigrette dressing.

Cobb Salad Video Tutorial

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What’s In a Cobb Salad?

This is one super satisfying salad. Since it has so much protein, you can eat it as a main course or as a side salad.

  • Chicken – We love using Baked Chicken Breast or our juicy Instant Pot Whole Chicken, but a store-bought rotisserie chicken works great to save time
  • Bacon – try air fryer bacon or crispy oven-baked bacon. You could also sautee bacon in a skillet.
  • Eggs – a great way to add more protein to the salad. Use hard-boiled eggs or Instant Pot Boiled Eggs.
  • Lettuce– chopped romaine bulks up the salad nicely
  • Tomatoes – add a juicy sweet bite – you can use just about any tomatoes (see variations below).
  • Avocado – Adding an avocado always elevates a salad!
  • Cheese – blue cheese is classic to a cobb salad but you can swap it out if you prefer (see variations section for ideas).
  • Onion – a little red onion goes a long way but adds tons of fresh vibrant flavor
  • Parsley – it’s an optional but very nice garnish that makes the salad taste a little fancier.
Cobb salad ingredients with chicken, lettuce, bacon, avocado, cheese and dressing

Variations

  • Protein – you can use a variety of meats here which is why we have everything from a Salmon Cobb Salad to Shrimp Cobb Salad. We also have a delicious Steak Cobb Salad in my debut Cookbook.
  • Cheese – The cheese of choice for the original Cobb Salad is blue cheese. We used a gorgonzola blue cheese but a Roquefort or other blue cheese would work as well. If you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, a crumbled feta works great.
  • Lettuce – iceberg is the classic option, but you can substitute it with chopped iceberg lettuce or even some green lettuce.
  • Tomatoes – I love using cherry tomatoes, but grape tomatoes or even diced heirloom tomatoes would work great here.

What is the Best Cobb Salad Dressing?

A vinaigrette is the classic dressing for Cobb Salad. We use a homemade balsamic vinaigrette here. It’s one of our most loved dressings and the same one we use for Beet Salad and Autumn Chopped Chicken Salad.

If you want to substitute the dressing, try the Red Wine Vinaigrette from our Greek Pasta Salad. A classic Creamy Ranch Dressing, Avocado Ranch, or Jalapeno Ranch would also work well. Note: if you are using a creamy ranch-based dressing, I would recommend using feta cheese instead of blue cheese.

Cobb salad served on a plate with chicken and cobb salad dressing drizzled over the top

How to Make Cobb Salad

  • Pre-Cook Everything – Cook your chicken, bacon, and eggs and set them aside to cool (see all of our make-ahead tips below).
  • Chop your Lettuce, rinse and spin it dry (a salad spinner is such a time saver!), then arrange it on a large shallow platter.
  • Arrange toppings in rows – this makes for such a beautiful presentation. Sprinkle finely chopped parsley over the top.
  • Make the Dressing – shake it up in a mason jar and drizzle over the salad just before serving.
Cobb Salad and dressing made ahead and arranged on a platter

Make-Ahead

You can make the salad and the dressing 2-3 hours ahead of your dinner; just keep them covered and refrigerated separately. Otherwise, the dressing will start to soften the vegetables. Here are some make-ahead tips:

  • Dressing – make this in a mason jar so you can shake it well just before serving in case it separates. Serve it right out of the mason jar.
  • Lettuce can be rinsed and dried 2 days ahead (a salad Spinner works best), then refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Avocado should be sliced shortly before serving since avocado tends to discolor when it comes in contact with air.
  • Chicken Breast can be pre-cooked and chilled
  • Bacon can be browned ahead. Drain on paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Eggs – Cook hard-boiled eggs and refrigerate for several days until ready to use.
Up close arrangement of chicken Cobb salad with avocado, bacon, cheese, egg, tomato and onion

This Chicken Cobb Salad is easy to assemble but sure looks stunning when served. Everything about this salad is good! This homemade version blows the Chic-fil-A Cobb Salad and Cheesecake Factory’s Cobb Salad out of the water.

More Top-Rated Salad Recipes to Love

Cobb Salad with the Best Cobb Salad Dressing

5 from 188 votes
Chicken Cobb Salad on a platter with salad dressing in a mason jar
Easy Chicken Cobb Salad with the Best Homemade Cobb Salad Dressing! This protein-packed salad is a meal in itself loaded with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, chicken, bacon, boiled eggs, creamy avocado and crumbled blue cheese.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 6 people as a side salad

Chicken Cobb Salad Ingredients:

  • 6 oz bacon, (6 slices) chopped and browned
  • 1 medium head romaine lettuce, 5 cups chopped, rinsed and dried
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts, *
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs
  • 1 large avocado, sliced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled (or feta cheese)
  • 2 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Cobb Salad Dressing:

Instructions

  • Bake, Air Fry, or Sautee bacon on a skillet.* Cook 2 hard-boiled eggs, chill in ice water then peel and quarter the eggs. C
  • Chop, rinse and spin dry romaine lettuce and arrange on a shallow platter.
  • Arrange the remaining salad ingredients (chicken, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, onion, blue cheese, and bacon) in rows over the salad, then sprinkle the finely chopped parsley over the salad.
  • Transfer dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake like crazy. Drizzle over salad just before serving or let guests add their own dressing to taste.

Notes

*For the Chicken – you can use rotisserie chicken and dice it up, or cook and cool some Baked Chicken Breasts. You can also use light or dark meat from an Instant Pot Whole Chicken
*To Sautee bacon, set a skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until browned and crisp on both sides. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool then crumble.

Nutrition Per Serving

711kcal Calories12g Carbs50g Protein51g Fat14g Saturated Fat221mg Cholesterol1261mg Sodium905mg Potassium4g Fiber4g Sugar1326IU Vitamin A18mg Vitamin C140mg Calcium3mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Cobb Salad with the Best Cobb Salad Dressing
Amount per Serving
Calories
711
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
51
g
78
%
Saturated Fat
 
14
g
88
%
Cholesterol
 
221
mg
74
%
Sodium
 
1261
mg
55
%
Potassium
 
905
mg
26
%
Carbohydrates
 
12
g
4
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
4
g
4
%
Protein
 
50
g
100
%
Vitamin A
 
1326
IU
27
%
Vitamin C
 
18
mg
22
%
Calcium
 
140
mg
14
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cobb Salad
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 711
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook
5 from 188 votes (134 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Sarah Green
    January 27, 2020

    Hi! I love this salad! All your recipes are delicious. I have a question, what are your favorite knives?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 27, 2020

      I’m so glad you’re enjoying our recipes, Sarah! Our shop here has our favorite tools listed. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Miriam
    January 26, 2020

    This salad is delicious. Please post more Russian and Ukrainian recipes though! It has been a while!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 27, 2020

      I’m so glad you liked that! Thank you for visiting our blog!

      Reply

  • Lana M
    January 24, 2020

    Hi, Natasha, I love this salad and all of your other recipes, I also watch all your videos and enjoy all of them. (all of the ones I try to make taste amazing)

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 24, 2020

      That’s so great. Thanks so much for sharing that with me.

      Reply

  • Peter Cardello
    January 22, 2020

    Hi Natasha,

    I love watching you on YouTube. You are my favorite chef. You make cooking fun and that is what it should be. Most of my kitchen tools are Oxo brand. They are sturdy and seem to last forever. I will have to try this salad ASAP. Thanks again. Peter

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 22, 2020

      Hi Peter! We do have quite of few of those ourselves! I’m so glad you like videos. Thank you for that great feedback & I hope you enjoy this salad.

      Reply

  • Janice Parrish
    January 20, 2020

    Could not find the link for the salad spinner that you used.

    Reply

  • Krissy Allori
    January 19, 2020

    I just love a good cobb salad. This one was great and that dressing was perfection!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 20, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

    • Piepie
      June 29, 2020

      Love your recipes, just trying to clarify something tho……this is a Cobb salad, but yet no corn is in this Cobb salad. Very confused atm.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        June 29, 2020

        Hi, you can leave out the corn if you prefer. We enjoy it, so we added it.

        Reply

  • Betsy
    January 19, 2020

    I am such a huge fan of Cobb Salad. I love how versatile it is. Great for me… I just omit the tomatoes. Great for my kiddo… I just omit the cheese… Great for my hubby… he eats it as is and we all LOVE it!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 20, 2020

      I’m so glad you were able to get this to work for the entire family! Thank you for sharing your amazing review with us!

      Reply

  • Roz Hicks
    January 19, 2020

    This salad is so beautiful, and the dressing is yummy! (I ordered the splatter screen from your link last month, and although it’s counter-intuitive, I believe you are using it upside down in the video!). :). I have so enjoyed using your recipes over the past couple of years. Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 20, 2020

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this salad, Roz!

      Reply

    • Anna
      January 29, 2020

      Hello, I like your recipe you mentioned about link for pan to cover when you frying. Can you please give me link. Thank you.

      Reply

      • Natasha's Kitchen
        January 29, 2020

        Hi Anna. Glad you liked this recipe. You must be referring to the splatter guard.

        Reply

  • Dave
    January 19, 2020

    That salad is as beautiful as the chef. A keeper and work of art. Your hubby is an excellent videographer and your animations are hilarious especially your catching the tomato!

    Well done!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 20, 2020

      Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Dave!

      Reply

      • Judy
        January 27, 2020

        Thank you so much for your wonderful & entertains recipes – pls advise which garlic press to buy. Mine never work

        Reply

  • Cindy
    January 19, 2020

    Mine wasn’t as gorgeous as yours, but it was totally delicious!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 19, 2020

      I’m so glad you loved it!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review.

      Reply

  • Sarah Skaggs
    January 18, 2020

    This was so good! You are the queen of amazing salads!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 20, 2020

      You’re so nice! Thank you!

      Reply

  • Mary Folks
    January 18, 2020

    Good looking food thanks your great )bless your kitchen and u

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 18, 2020

      You’re welcome, Mary! I’m glad you liked this recipe.

      Reply

  • Robin
    January 18, 2020

    Hi Natasha!
    I ha e a question for ya
    I love the salad that you are showing (cob salad).. I want to make this for my family, but what can I substitute the avocado with, and still make the salad yummy?( we dont like avacodos)
    I also want to thank you for all your recipes..I’ve tried alot of them and they are a big success at my house!
    Have a wonderful day…Robin

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 18, 2020

      Hi Robin, the good thing is salads are very versatile. You can omit or add any favorite vegetables. Cucumber can be a good option too.

      Reply

  • Cheryl B
    January 18, 2020

    Can’t wait to try this recipe. The dressing sounds delicious and could be used on so many salads! Thank you!
    One quick tip (and maybe you already know this)…I just learned from Jacques Pepin that you can keep avocados from turning brown by dipping the peeled avocado in cold water. I still need to try this to “prove” it, but if Jacques says it, I tend to trust it. If you try it soon, please let me know how well (or not) it works.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 18, 2020

      Hi Cheryl, thank you so much for sharing that tip with me.

      Reply

  • Gail Rivera
    January 18, 2020

    Nutritional information for the dressing Only please

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 18, 2020

      Hi Gail, there is no easy way to break that out with our nutrition label, unfortunately. It’s not advanced enough to separate those two out.

      Reply

  • Polly Gibble
    January 18, 2020

    Which garlic press did you use in this recipe? Thanks

    Reply

  • Lauren
    January 17, 2020

    What is you favorite garlic press you use?

    Reply

  • Renee Price
    January 17, 2020

    Do you have a link for your wooden salad servers?

    Thank you,

    Renee Price

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 18, 2020

      Hi Renee, our favorite tools can be found here.

      Reply

  • Shornett
    January 17, 2020

    Hello, where did you buy the splash guard?

    Reply

  • Alena
    January 17, 2020

    Natasha, silly question, but may I ask, where is your favorite place to shop for avocados? Let’s say you need several readily ripe avocados for a recipe, to use them altogether instead of waiting for them to ripen one by one

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      January 17, 2020

      Hi Alena, we purchase them at our local grocery store or Costco in bulk.

      Reply

    • Ashley
      January 17, 2020

      Hello! For the nutrition facts, is that for the entire salad or for a serving size? Thank you!

      Reply

      • Natasha
        January 17, 2020

        Hi Ashley, the nutrition and calorie counts are per serving and there are 4 generous servings as a side salad.

        Reply

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