Description
This Loaded Chicken Cobb Salad is a vibrant and satisfying meal packed with crispy bacon, tender rotisserie chicken, fresh vegetables, and a creamy herb buttermilk dressing. Perfect for a light yet protein-rich lunch or dinner, it’s easy to prepare and loaded with bold flavors and texture contrasts that make every bite delightful.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons pickled red onions (finely chopped)
- 4 tablespoons dill (finely chopped)
- 4 tablespoons tarragon (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Salad
- 8 slices bacon
- 4 eggs (hard-boiled)
- 2 chicken breasts (from rotisserie or cooked)
- 1 head iceberg lettuce (cut into wedges)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 3 Persian cucumbers (chopped)
- 3 ounces Stilton blue cheese (crumbled)
- 1 ½ medium avocado (sliced)
- 1 bunch radishes (quartered)
- 4 pepperoncini (sliced)
- ½ cup pickled red onions
- 2 sprigs dill (torn)
- 2 sprigs tarragon (torn)
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (for serving)
Instructions
- Make the Creamy Herb Buttermilk Dressing: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, finely chopped pickled red onions, dill, tarragon, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth and set aside to let the flavors meld.
- Cook the Bacon: Cut the bacon slices into 1-inch pieces. Cook them over medium heat in a skillet until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Set aside.
- Prepare the Eggs: Hard boil eggs by placing them in boiling water and cooking for 10 minutes. Remove and cool under cold running water. Peel the eggs carefully and quarter them.
- Slice the Chicken: Remove the chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken or use pre-cooked chicken breasts. Slice into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Cut the iceberg lettuce in half, then into five wedges. Halve the cherry tomatoes, chop the Persian cucumbers, quarter the radishes, slice the pepperoncini, and slice the avocado. Keep the torn dill and tarragon sprigs ready.
- Assemble the Salad: On a large platter, arrange the iceberg lettuce wedges and drizzle some of the prepared dressing over them. Layer the sliced chicken atop the lettuce. Then artfully add all the vegetables—cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, pepperoncini, and avocado—along with pickled red onions and crispy bacon pieces.
- Add Cheese and Garnish: Sprinkle crumbled Stilton blue cheese over the assembled salad. Drizzle additional dressing as desired. Finish by scattering torn dill and tarragon sprigs and sprinkling flaky sea salt evenly over the top.
- Serve: Offer extra dressing on the side to accompany the salad. Serve immediately and enjoy this refreshing, loaded Cobb salad packed with flavors and textures.
Notes
- Using pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken saves time without sacrificing flavor.
- Adjust the amount of dressing to your liking – the recipe provides enough to coat the salad generously.
- For a lighter version, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt and use low-fat mayonnaise.
- If Stilton blue cheese is unavailable, you can substitute with any crumbled blue cheese or feta.
- Hard boil eggs ahead of time to make the assembly quicker.
- Serve immediately after assembly to preserve lettuce crispness and fresh flavors.
