Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Dressing

This chicken cobb salad is healthy and packed with whole ingredients – from lean chicken breast to crispy bacon and juicy tomatoes. It is all topped with a homemade creamy avocado dressing with bright and zesty lemon juice. Lunch is served!

Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad- The Perfect Lunch!

Since it is so easy to grow tired of salads, I like to make classic recipes with a fun twist (like this summer pesto pasta salad). Now, this cobb salad might have the same basics – lettuce, chicken, eggs, bacon, and feta cheese. So I whipped up a salad dressing to take it to the next level!

My homemade avocado dressing is creamy, packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and has the zing of fresh lemon juice. This is one of my favorite homemade salad dressings of all time! The creamy avocado in it is so thick that you’ll use less of it on the salad. This means it goes farther (and saves you money).

This chicken cobb salad recipe is so filling that you can enjoy it for lunch or even dinner. Keep reading and I’ll share more information and tips about it. Or, just scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. It has all the steps and ingredients in one place.

Ingredients In This Chicken Cobb Salad

I used all of the traditional ingredients in my chicken cobb salad. Each layer is a new texture, taste, and crunch. It’s all fresh and bursting with savory flavor.

• Chicken: The main protein in this salad is chicken breast. Cut up the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces before you fry it on the stove. You could also bake or grill the chicken breast. Or, save time and use rotisserie chicken.
• Avocado Oil: I used this on the stove when I cooked the chicken breast.
• Salt and Pepper: This is the season the chicken breast.
• Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs are a common ingredient in cobb salad. Use as many as you like.
• Bacon: The crispier the bacon, the better it will crumble in your salad. I used 6 slices of bacon. To make it even healthier, consider swapping it out for some turkey bacon instead.
• Romaine Lettuce: Most people use romaine lettuce in cobb salad but you can hnoestly use any kind of leafy green you like. It takes 3 hearts of romaine to make this salad.
• Tomatoes: Any type of small tomatoes will work in this salad. I used about a cup of cherry tomatoes.
• Avocado: Cut up an entire ripe avocado and dice it up for the salad.
• Feta Cheese: You need about 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese. You can also use some blue cheese instead!
• Chives: Fresh herbs are the perfect garnish for this cobb salad.

Avocado Dressing Ingredients

I also made my own creamy avocado dressing. Making your own dressing is easier than you might think! Here’s what I used.

• Avocados: It takes two ripe avocados for the dressing.
• Lemon Juice: Juice a fresh lemon. Jarred juice just doesn’t have the same flavor.
• Garlic: For the best taste, use 2 cloves of garlic that you mince.
• Avocado Oil: Since you used avocados, avocado oil will taste the best in the dressing. You’ll need about 1/4 cup.
• Salt and Pepper: Just add enough salt and pepper to make it taste how you want it to.
• Water: I used 1/4 cup water to make it the perfect consistency.

Kitchen Tools Required For This Salad

If you have ever made a homemade salad, then you probably already have all the tools you need. It doesn’t require very many supplies or fancy pieces of equipment.

• Skillet
• Saucepan
• Food Processor or Blender
• Mixing Bowl

For measuring, you will need a cup, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, a tablespoon, teaspoon, and 1/2 teaspoon.

How To Make An Easy Cobb Salad

The first step is to cook the chicken breasts. If you are using pre-cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, skip this step.

To cook the chicken breasts, toss them in oil, salt, and pepper and cook them however you would like. I grilled over medium-high heat for 8 minutes per side, until the middle temperature reached 165F. You could also bake for 20-22 minutes at 400F. Let the chicken rest.

Then, hard-boil the eggs. Bring a pot of water to boil. Gently add eggs and cook for 12 minutes. Drain and run cold water over them for 2 minutes.

Cook the bacon on the stovetop for 6-8 minutes or until crispy. Drain and set aside.

Then, make the dressing by placing all dressing ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, adding more water as needed to thin. You can use a blender instead of a food processor if that is what you have.

Chop the lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, eggs, avocado, bacon, and then assemble your salad.

Add cheese and chives on top, and then toss with dressing.

Below are some common chicken cobb salad questions. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!

How long will the salad last in the refrigerator?

For the freshest taste and to make the ingredients last the longest, store each of the ingredients separately in sealed containers and keep the air off of them. Then, keep the dressing in a sealed jar. The ingredients and dressing will last about a week.

If you try to store leftover salad with the dressing on it, the dressing will make the lettuce soft and change the texture. It will only last a few days with the dressing on it.

Can I add corn to the salad?

Yes, you’ll typically see cobb salad with corn kernels mixed into it. I did not add corn because I wanted to keep the calorie count low. Feel free to add a can of drained corn kernels.

Can I mix the dressing ingredients by hand?

I used a food processor because it mixed the dressing ingredients together in just a few seconds. You can definitely mix them by hand if you don’t have a food processor or a blender. Use a whisk. It will take a bit longer, but it will still work.

Wondering if you can use a different kind of meat or other substitutions? There are lots of ways you can customize this salad.

Instead of chicken breasts, you can cut and cook some chicken thighs. Or, add some slow cooker shredded pork. You could even use thin-sliced turkey breast.

Instead of romaine hearts lettuce, use iceberg lettuce! Mix in some baby spinach and arugula for a variety of textures.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Here are some more of my favorite salad recipes. Enjoy!

• Mexican Quinoa Salad With Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
• Light and Easy Broccoli Salad
• Creamy Italian Chopped Salad
• Easy Curry Chicken Salad

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa