Ultimate Chopped Cobb Salad

Making a salad that actually fills you up and keeps you satisfied can be tricky. Most salads leave you reaching for snacks an hour later, and when you’re trying to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen, it’s easy to fall back on the same boring bowl of greens.

That’s where this chopped Cobb salad comes in handy: it’s packed with protein from chicken, eggs, and bacon, has enough variety to keep things interesting, and comes together quickly with a homemade dressing that’s way better than anything from a bottle.

What Kind of Lettuce Should I Use?

Romaine lettuce is the classic choice for a Cobb salad, and it’s what I recommend sticking with for this recipe. The crisp texture and sturdy leaves hold up really well to the dressing and all those hearty toppings without getting soggy too quickly. If you can’t find romaine or want to mix things up, iceberg lettuce works in a pinch and gives you that same satisfying crunch. You could also use a combination of romaine hearts (the inner, more tender leaves) for a slightly sweeter, less bitter flavor. Just make sure whatever lettuce you choose is thoroughly washed and completely dried before chopping – excess water will dilute your dressing and make everything watery.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients based on what you have or what you like:

• Romaine lettuce: You can use iceberg lettuce for extra crunch, or mix in some butter lettuce or spring greens if you want a softer texture.
• Cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut here, but you can also use leftover grilled chicken, turkey breast, or even shrimp if you want to switch things up.
• Blue cheese: Not a fan of blue cheese? Feta, goat cheese, or even shredded cheddar work well. Just keep in mind the flavor will be milder.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon is a lighter option, or you can skip it altogether and add some chopped ham or prosciutto instead.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work just fine in the dressing without changing much.
• Avocado: If avocados aren’t ripe or available, you can leave them out or add some sliced cucumber for extra freshness and crunch.
• Red onion: Green onions or shallots make good substitutes if you want a milder onion flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with Cobb salad is chopping ingredients into uneven sizes, which makes it hard to get a little bit of everything in each bite – aim for uniform pieces about the size of a pea or small bean for the best experience.

Another common error is adding the avocado too early, as it can turn brown and mushy if the salad sits for more than 15-20 minutes, so either add it right before serving or toss it with a little lemon juice to keep it fresh.

Don’t forget to dry your romaine thoroughly after washing, since excess water will dilute the dressing and leave you with a watery salad instead of a crisp, flavorful one.

Finally, make your dressing ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes – this allows the garlic flavor to mellow out and all the ingredients to blend together properly.

What to Serve With Chopped Cobb Salad?

A chopped cobb salad is pretty filling on its own since it’s packed with chicken, bacon, eggs, and avocado, but I love serving it with some warm, crusty bread or garlic toast on the side. If you’re feeding a crowd, consider putting out some soup alongside it – a simple tomato soup or chicken noodle works great and turns the meal into more of a complete dinner. For a lighter option, fresh fruit like sliced watermelon or berries makes a nice contrast to all the savory flavors in the salad. You could also serve it with crackers or pita chips if you want something crunchy to munch on between bites.

Storage Instructions

Store: If you want to prep this salad ahead, keep all the chopped ingredients separate in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the dressing in a jar or small container. When you’re ready to eat, just toss everything together so it stays crisp and fresh.

Make Ahead: You can cook the chicken, boil the eggs, and crisp up the bacon a day or two before assembling. The dressing also tastes better when it sits for a few hours, so making it ahead is actually a great idea. Just hold off on chopping the avocado until right before serving so it doesn’t turn brown.

Leftovers: Already tossed your salad with dressing? It’ll keep in the fridge for about a day, though the lettuce will get a bit soggy. If you know you’ll have leftovers, I’d recommend only dressing the portion you’re eating right away and keeping the rest undressed.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1350
• Protein: 65-75 g
• Fat: 90-105 g
• Carbohydrates: 30-40 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1 garlic clove (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1.5 tsp mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon Dijon)
• 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp vinegar (I use Pompeian red wine vinegar)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• salt
• pepper

For the salad:

• 1 head lettuce (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 1.5 cups tomatoes (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups chicken (cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 4 eggs (hard-boiled and quartered)
• 1/2 onion (finely diced)
• 8 slices bacon (cooked until crisp and crumbled)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup blue cheese (crumbled for a bold, salty bite)
• 2 tbsp fresh chives (finely chopped)

Step 1: Prepare the Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1 garlic clove, freshly minced
• 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and red wine vinegar until well combined.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing and create a creamy, cohesive sauce.

Season with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.

I like to taste the dressing and adjust the vinegar or salt as needed—a well-balanced vinaigrette makes all the difference in a cobb salad.

Step 2: Prepare the Salad Components

• 1 head lettuce, chopped
• 1.5 cups tomatoes, diced
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

While the dressing rests, prepare all the salad ingredients for assembly.

Chop the lettuce into 1-inch pieces and place in a large salad bowl.

Dice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and cut the cooked chicken into 1/2-inch cubes.

Quarter the hard-boiled eggs and finely dice the onion.

Have the crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and fresh chives ready.

For the avocado, cut it in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and dice the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces just before adding to the salad—this prevents browning.

Step 3: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• prepared salad components from Step 2
• vinaigrette dressing from Step 1

Add all the prepared ingredients from Step 2 to the bowl with the lettuce, arranging them in rows or mixing them together depending on your preference.

Pour the vinaigrette from Step 1 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all components with the dressing.

I recommend tossing the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and the avocado from getting crushed.

Ultimate Chopped Cobb Salad

Delicious Ultimate Chopped Cobb Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 1275

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing::

• 1 garlic clove (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 1.5 tsp mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon Dijon)
• 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp vinegar (I use Pompeian red wine vinegar)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• salt
• pepper

For the salad::

• 1 head lettuce (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 1.5 cups tomatoes (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cups chicken (cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 4 eggs (hard-boiled and quartered)
• 1/2 onion (finely diced)
• 8 slices bacon (cooked until crisp and crumbled)
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 cup blue cheese (crumbled for a bold, salty bite)
• 2 tbsp fresh chives (finely chopped)

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and red wine vinegar until well combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly to emulsify the dressing and create a creamy, cohesive sauce. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. I like to taste the dressing and adjust the vinegar or salt as needed—a well-balanced vinaigrette makes all the difference in a cobb salad.
2. While the dressing rests, prepare all the salad ingredients for assembly. Chop the lettuce into 1-inch pieces and place in a large salad bowl. Dice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and cut the cooked chicken into 1/2-inch cubes. Quarter the hard-boiled eggs and finely dice the onion. Have the crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and fresh chives ready. For the avocado, cut it in half lengthwise, remove the pit, and dice the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces just before adding to the salad—this prevents browning.
3. Add all the prepared ingredients from Step 2 to the bowl with the lettuce, arranging them in rows or mixing them together depending on your preference. Pour the vinaigrette from Step 1 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all components with the dressing. I recommend tossing the salad just before serving to keep the lettuce crisp and the avocado from getting crushed.