Loaded Chicken Cobb Salad with Creamy Dijon Dressing
This colourful chicken Cobb salad is loaded with grilled chicken, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, cheddar cheese, fresh vegetables and crunchy garlic crostini. A creamy Dijon dressing brings everything together for an easy lunch or satisfying dinner.
Equipment
- Large salad platter or serving bowl
- Grill pan, skillet or outdoor grill
- Medium saucepan for hard-boiled eggs
- Frying pan or baking sheet for bacon
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Vegetable peeler
- Cheese grater
- Small mixing bowl for the creamy Dijon dressing
- Whisk or fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Salad tongs or serving utensils
Ingredients
Cobb Salad Ingredients
- 8 cups romaine lettuce chopped or mixed leafy greens
- 2 chicken breasts skinless large and boneless
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 6 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 4 eggs large hard-boiled and quartered
- 1 cup mini sweet tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 carrots medium and cut into sticks
- 12 baby corn drained if canned
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 garlic crostini (small) or toasted baguette slices
- 2 tbsp parsley or dill chopped and fresh
- 2 tbsp shelled pistachios optional
Creamy Dijon Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 garlic clove small and finely grated
- 2 -3 tbsp water as needed
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Grill or pan-sear over medium heat for 5–7 minutes per side, until fully cooked. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, honey and garlic. Add enough water to create a creamy, pourable dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
- Build the salad: Spread the chopped lettuce over a large serving platter. Arrange the sliced chicken, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, baby corn and cheddar cheese in sections over the greens.
- Add the garlic crostini around the salad and finish with fresh herbs and pistachios, if using.
- Serve the loaded chicken Cobb salad immediately with the creamy Dijon dressing on the side or drizzled over the top.
For the best loaded chicken Cobb salad, keep the creamy Dijon dressing and garlic crostini separate until serving. This keeps the fresh greens crisp, the vegetables crunchy and every bite full of flavour.
Notes
- For the best loaded chicken Cobb salad, let the grilled chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing so it stays juicy and tender.
- Cook the bacon until crisp, then drain it well before adding it to the salad. That smoky crunch makes a big difference.
- Dry the lettuce thoroughly after washing. Wet greens can make the creamy Dijon dressing thin and watery.
- Prepare the hard-boiled eggs, bacon and dressing ahead of time to make this an easy weeknight chicken salad recipe.
- Freshly grated cheddar cheese has a better flavour and softer texture than packaged shredded cheese.
- Cut the carrots, peppers and other vegetables into bite-sized pieces so every serving gets a good mix of toppings.
- Add the garlic crostini just before serving to keep them crisp. They soften quickly once the dressing is added.
- Serve the homemade Cobb salad dressing on the side when feeding a group, so everyone can add as much as they like.
- Leftover rotisserie chicken can replace the grilled chicken for a faster easy Cobb salad recipe.
- Store leftover salad, chicken and dressing separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The assembled salad is best enjoyed fresh.
Nutrition
Calories: 526kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 30gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 199mgSodium: 858mgPotassium: 727mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 10020IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 199mgIron: 2mg
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