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Cobb Salad is the loaded, protein packed salad I make when I want dinner to feel like a treat, and I threw our first big one together on a warm summer evening when the girls wanted “the salad with all the good stuff.” Crispy panko chicken, smoky bacon, creamy avocado, blue cheese, and a sweet honey mustard dressing turn a pile of greens into a full meal. If you love a hearty salad, our classic potato salad is another crowd favorite.
One forkful of crispy chicken, bacon, avocado, and that honey mustard dressing and this Cobb Salad will become your new go to dinner salad.
Cobb Salad Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 8 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 23 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 720kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Fresh and crisp with crispy chicken, smoky bacon, creamy avocado, and sweet tangy honey mustard
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as simple to throw together as our five bean salad
Quick Answer
To make a Cobb Salad, whisk together a honey mustard dressing and chill it, then hard boil the eggs and cook the bacon. Bread a chicken breast in flour, egg, and seasoned panko, and fry it until golden and 165 degrees inside. Arrange chopped lettuce on a platter, add rows of sliced chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, corn, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and blue cheese, then drizzle with the dressing and serve.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Crispy panko chicken makes it a meal. Breading and frying the chicken in seasoned panko gives the Cobb Salad a hearty, crave worthy protein instead of plain grilled chicken.
- Rows of toppings keep every bite balanced. Arranging the ingredients in rows lets everyone grab the exact mix of chicken, bacon, avocado, and blue cheese they want.
- Honey mustard ties it all together. The sweet and tangy dressing balances the salty bacon and rich blue cheese so nothing overpowers the salad.
- A mix of textures keeps it interesting. Crunchy chicken, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and juicy tomatoes give the Cobb Salad contrast in every forkful.
- It is endlessly customizable. Swap proteins, cheeses, or veggies based on what you have, so the salad never gets boring.
- Everything can be prepped ahead. Cook the chicken, bacon, and eggs in advance, then assemble in minutes when you are ready to eat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A full meal in a bowl. Loaded with crispy chicken, bacon, egg, and avocado, this Cobb Salad is hearty enough for dinner.
- Sweet and tangy dressing. The homemade honey mustard is so good you will want it on everything, like our homemade ranch dressing.
- Totally customizable. Mix and match the toppings to please everyone at the table.
Key Ingredients
This Cobb Salad is all about layering fresh, hearty ingredients. Here are the key players.
- Chicken breast: Breaded in seasoned panko and fried crispy, it turns the salad into a satisfying main dish.
- Bacon and blue cheese: Smoky, salty bacon and tangy blue cheese give the Cobb Salad its signature bold flavor.
- Avocado, egg, and corn: Creamy avocado, protein rich hard boiled eggs, and sweet corn round out every bite.
- Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion: A crisp, fresh base that holds up to all the hearty toppings.
- Honey mustard dressing: Honey, grainy and dijon mustard, olive oil, and lemon whisk into the perfect sweet tangy drizzle.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Cobb Salad is easy to make your own. Try these ideas.
- Grilled chicken: Skip the breading and use grilled or rotisserie chicken to keep it lighter.
- Different cheese: Swap the blue cheese for feta, gorgonzola, or shredded cheddar.
- Add shrimp or steak: Top with grilled shrimp or sliced steak instead of chicken.
- Make it low carb: Leave off the corn and use grilled chicken for a lighter plate.
- Switch the dressing: Try it with our homemade poppy seed dressing or a classic ranch.
- Make it a wrap: Pile the leftovers into a tortilla for a quick lunch.
How to Make Cobb Salad
- Whisk the honey, grainy mustard, dijon, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder together, then chill the dressing while you prep everything else.
- Hard boil the eggs and cook the bacon, then set up a breading station with one bowl of flour, one of beaten egg, and one of panko.
- Season the panko with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, then pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Coat the chicken in flour, then the beaten egg, then press it into the seasoned panko until fully covered.
- Fry the breaded chicken in hot oil for about 4 minutes per side until golden, crispy, and 165 degrees inside, then drain and slice.
- Arrange the chopped lettuce on a platter, add rows of chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, corn, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and blue cheese, then drizzle with dressing.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pound the chicken even. An even thickness means the chicken cooks through and stays juicy while the panko crisps.
- Chill the dressing. Letting the honey mustard rest in the fridge lets the flavors meld and thickens it slightly.
- Use a thermometer. Fry the chicken to 165 degrees in the thickest part so it is cooked through but not dry.
- Drain on paper towels. Resting the fried chicken on a paper towel keeps the crust crispy instead of greasy.
- Slice avocado last. Cut and add the avocado right before serving so it stays bright green.
- Arrange in rows. Lining up the toppings makes the Cobb Salad look gorgeous and lets everyone customize their plate.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Cobb Salad is a full meal on its own, but it is wonderful with a basket of warm bread or rolls on the side. For a bigger spread, serve it alongside our classic potato salad and our five bean salad.
It is perfect for summer lunches, potlucks, and meal prep. Pair it with our cold green bean salad for a fresh, colorful picnic table.
Set out extra dressings so everyone can customize. A side of our homemade ranch alongside the honey mustard is always a hit, and a glass of iced tea ties the whole meal together.
Cobb Salad FAQs
A classic Cobb Salad has chopped lettuce topped with chicken, bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, tomatoes, and blue cheese. This version adds crispy panko chicken, corn, cucumber, and red onion with a homemade honey mustard dressing.
Yes. Cook the chicken, bacon, and eggs and make the dressing up to 2 days ahead, then store everything separately. Assemble the Cobb Salad and slice the avocado right before serving so it stays fresh.
This Cobb Salad uses a sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing, but it is also delicious with ranch, blue cheese dressing, or a simple red wine vinaigrette. Serve the dressing on the side so everyone can add their own.
Store leftover Cobb Salad components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the dressing and avocado apart from the greens so nothing gets soggy or browns.
Absolutely. Grilled, baked, or rotisserie chicken all work great in this Cobb Salad if you want a lighter option. The crispy panko chicken just adds an extra crunchy, satisfying bite.
Cobb Salad is packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats from the chicken, eggs, and avocado. To lighten it up, use grilled chicken, go easy on the dressing, and leave off the corn.
Looking for more fresh salad ideas? Try our cold green bean salad next.
Chicken Cobb Salad
Ingredients
Honey Mustard Dressing:
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoon grainy mustard
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salad:
- 1 head of butter lettuce or Romaine lettuce or a mix of two, washed and roughly chopped
- 2 ounces blue cheese
- 7-10 bacon slices cooked and crumbled
- 3 medium or large hard-boiled eggs
- 1 large avocado sliced
- 1 cup sweet corn or freshly boiled or grilled corn kernels
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup cherry or plum tomatoes
- 1 small cucumber sliced
- 1 small red onion diced or sliced thin
Chicken:
- 1 cup panko or sub with fine breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large chicken breast boneless skinless (or sub with boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- ¼-½ cup all-purpose flour you only need to coat the chicken breast, so may end up using less
- 1 large egg
- Oil for cooking
Instructions
- To make the dressing, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl. Chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Hard boil the eggs and cook the bacon. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with parchment paper.
- To make your chicken. In three bowls add each one: with flour, one with beaten egg, and the final with panko breadcrumbs mixed with paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cut chicken breasts in two lengthwise if it is too thick. Place them on an even surface such as a wooden cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap and pound lightly on both sides.
- One by one coat the chicken in flour, then egg, then panko.
- Heat up cooking oil (about 2-3 inches) in a skillet over high heat (or use a deep fryer). Once oil is hot and sizzling, carefully lower the chicken into the pan. Cook on high for 4 minutes on both sides or until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through in the center. Use a kitchen thermometer to register 165 degrees F inserted into the thickest part of the chicken. Set aside on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Arrange the salad ingredients on a large serving platter. Top with chicken and drizzle the honey mustard on top or leave the dressing on the table for each guest to add to their taste.
Notes
- Use any variety of vegetables that you like for this.
- We highly recommend the homemade dressing but you can use what you like.
- The panko can be substituted for fine breadcrumbs instead.
- This can be doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- This is best consumed right away.
- Certain parts can be made ahead, see above storage tips on how to do that.
- Omit any ingredients that do not suit your taste, this recipe is easily adaptable.
Nutrition
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