Crunchy Chicken Cobb Salad

Topped with lots of veggies, ultra-crispy chicken and a succulent honey mustard dressing, this Chicken Cobb Salad is going to transform mealtime. This recipe is great for a healthy lunch or dinner, or you can make all the parts in advance for easy meal prep.  

three bowls of cobb salad with crispy chicken nuggets on a green surface next to avocado slices and striped linens

2024 Update: This recipe was originally shared in January 2014. The recipe and post have been updated with LOTS tips and tricks, as well as new photographs. I hope this salad as much as I do!

This post contains affiliate links.

Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe 

As someone who works from home, I’ll be the first to admit that lunch can be difficult. I hate it when I find myself scrambling to put together anything… or giving up and ordering takeout. I usually end up ordering a big salad, but that can be hit or miss sometimes.

On weeks when I have my act together, I will prepare this Crunchy Chicken Cobb Salad. It is way better than any takeout salad, I promise! This recipe is awesome for meal prepping, so you can eat it for lunch (at home or at the office!) OR even for dinner. 

While this is not a Classic Cobb Salad, which usually involves ingredients like blue cheese crumbles and a brown Derby dressing, it is a fun twist on the classic recipe.

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    Why I love this recipe:

    Every good salad starts with crunchy lettuce. I use romaine lettuce for mine, but you can make this salad your own with all your favorites. (The traditional cobb salad recipe utilizes iceberg lettuce.) 

    For this cobb salad, we make crispy homemade chicken nuggets and then add in hard-boiled eggs, crisp bacon, green onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese and creamy avocado. 

    And every good salad ends with a drizzle of a delicious dressing. My favorite is this honey mustard dressing, but you do you!

    Here are a few reasons why I’m so into this cobb salad recipe, and they include:

    • You can customize this salad any way you like for your personal preference! Load it up all the way, or skip the ingredients you don’t like. 
    • The homemade chicken nuggets on top aren’t fried, so they’re better-for-you than takeout salads. 
    • On top, there’s the most delicious homemade honey mustard dressing, but you can use your favorite! Homemade ranch dressing or even this Hot Bacon Vinaigrette would be delicious!

    More salad recipes to try: Turkey Taco Salad | Salmon Niçoise Salad | Grilled Peach Salad with Burrata

    ingredients to make chicken cobb salad on a green surface with a white and black striped linen

    What you need to make this recipe:

    The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

    Let’s talk ingredients!

    In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

    Here’s what you’ll need to grab at the grocery store:

    • Chicken — my original recipe called for chicken tenderloins, but I used chicken breast this time around and cut them into smaller pieces. You could also use boneless thighs and trim them down, too.
    • Eggs — you’ll need a fresh egg for the breading to stick to the chicken. You also need some hard-boiled eggs for the topping. If you prefer jammy eggs or soft boiled eggs on your salad, cook ’em that way! 
    • Freshly ground black pepper — the best kind! I love to cook with this. 
    • Kosher salt — I use medium-grain kosher salt. A similarly sized sea salt will work, too. 
    • Panko breadcrumbs — I love the texture of these bread crumbs. That said, you can use classic or even Italian breadcrumbs if you like. 
    • Romaine lettuce — or your favorite salad greens. Romaine or iceberg are nice and crispy for this salad. 
    • Bacon — the bacon on top of this salad is already cooked. If you haven’t cooked yours yet, don’t worry, you can do it in the same pan as the chicken or you can bake it in the oven. You can replace this with turkey bacon, if desired.
    • Green onions — also known as scallions, these add some mild onion-y flavor without overwhelming the salad. Fresh chives would also be nice. 
    • Cherry tomatoes — you can also use whatever juicy tomatoes you can get your hands on. Just be sure to slice them into bite-sized pieces. 
    • Sharp cheddar — shred your own or buy it pre-shredded. 
    • Avocado — this needs to be perfectly ripe. (I know… a total challenge!) Slice or dice an avocado to sprinkle on top of the salad.
    • Honey mustard vinaigrette — we make this from scratch with Dijon mustard and honey and a few other ingredients, but you can use your favorite dressing from the store if that makes it easier on you.

    Customizations and substitutions

    Other proteins: If you want to use another protein, you may! This Cajun Cobb Salad uses turkey, and it’s so good. You can also skip the crunchy breaded chicken and use a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead. You could also add Grilled Shrimp or even Cast Iron Ribeye instead of chicken.

    Vegan/vegetarian: This salad works well without the chicken because it is loaded with toppings. Vegetarians can use plant-based chick’n strips and bakon, or skip them altogether. For a vegan version, you’ll want to skip the cheese and eggs, as well, and use a dressing other than honey mustard. This red wine vinaigrette would be a good vegan substitute.

    Gluten-free: If you need a gluten-free version of the chicken, you can use grilled chicken. There are also gluten-free breadcrumbs, though I haven’t tried them so I can’t vouch for the crispiness.

    Close up of a halved hard boiled egg

    How to make Chicken Cobb Salad

    First thing’s first: you need some hard-boiled eggs and crispy bacon. Prepare the hard-boiled eggs in advance if you can. Peel them and set them aside. 

    You’ll also need to prep the bacon. Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked to your level of liking on both sides. Remove from the heat, pat dry and let cool, then crumble and set aside. Feel free to use bacon bits or leftover bacon from breakfast. Let me also recommend my oven bacon — it’s so easy! 

    Next, make the chicken. It’s inspired by Chick-Fil-A, but we’re not frying it! (Of course, you could also use pre-breaded chicken here if that’s easier for you.) 

    Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Break the egg into a bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs into another bowl.

    Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and sweet paprika.

    Dunk the chicken into the egg wash mixture, then transfer to the panko, moving around until coated in the breadcrumbs.

    Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat until all the chicken nuggets are coated. You can also dump the chicken into a paper or plastic bag with the breadcrumbs and shake them until coated, if that’s easier.

    Spritz with nonstick cooking spray (I like to use a 100% avocado oil spray or olive oil spray.) This will help the nuggets crisp up in the oven.

    Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, and once cooled, slice up and set aside. 

    ingredients for cobb salad in a large wooden bowl before tossing

    Then, make the salad. Wash the romaine and chop into bite-sized pieces, and transfer to a serving bowl.

    Chop the green onions, and sprinkle on top of the romaine. Wash the cherry tomatoes (if you haven’t already), then sprinkle on top of the salad.

    Sprinkle on the slices of hard-boiled eggs, crumbled bacon and the crispy chicken on top of the ingredients. Slice an avocado and top the salad with this.

    Serve in a large bowl OR individually.

    Let each person drizzle the amount of salad dressing they want on top of their salad. You can also dress the salad and then serve immediately.

    honey mustard dressing on top of salad ingredients in a bowl

    How to store

    This salad is great for meal prep because the ingredients can hold up well in the fridge without wilting or getting soggy. Here’s what you’ll need to do in advance: 

    1. Be sure to wash the lettuce and vegetables. 
    2. Cook the bacon, hard-boiled eggs and chicken tenders. Let cool.
    3. Chop all the vegetables, except the avocado.
    4. Shred the cheese. 
    5. Make the dressing. 

    Store all of the lettuce, vegetables, dressing, cheese and proteins separately. This will prevent sogginess and odors/juices from transferring to other ingredients. (Looking at you, hard-boiled eggs.)  

    The morning of or night before, or just before eating, combine all the ingredients into a bowl and top with dressing and freshly-cut avocado.

    close up of a bowl of crispy chicken cobb salad with a fork in it on a green surface

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

    There’s nothing like a big ‘ol salad to share with the people you love… am I right?

    Here are some ways I like to show up with a salad like this at events or share a salad like this in my own home:

    • Prepare the salad ingredients in advance, but don’t combine them in a bowl until shortly before serving. 
    • Serve the salad in a big bowl, without dressing, so people can add as much as they want once they serve themselves.
    • Alternatively, plate the salads separately so you aren’t having to pass a big salad bowl around. 
    a fork holds a bite of a chicken cobb salad above bowls

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What goes in a Cobb salad? 

    Cobb salads are often enjoyed as a main course, and they often feature chicken, but they can use other proteins or be vegetarian. They usually contain lettuce topped with neat rows of bacon, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes and cheese. 

    What’s the difference between a Cobb salad and a Chef salad? 

    The cobb salad is usually made with lettuce, bacon, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes and cheese. A chef salad is a little more generic, usually including cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and other meats, like ham and bacon. 

    Can I make this recipe a little simpler?

    Sure! I get that you might not have time for everything I usually do in this salad. There are quite a few shortcuts you can use. Purchase pre-washed and cut Romaine, store-bought dressing and even already made hard-boiled eggs. Then use already-shredded cheese, pre-cooked bacon and frozen chicken nuggets or tenders if you like. That leaves you with cooking the chicken (per package instructions) and chopping just a few things: the tomatoes, green onions and avocado. 

    close up of a bowl of crispy chicken cobb salad with a fork in it on a green surface with the text crunchy chicken cobb salad

    Quick tips and tricks to making the best Chicken Cobb Salad

    • Don’t combine the ingredients too early or the lettuce, bacon and chicken can get soggy. 
    • Make your own dressing for the best flavor. 
    • Don’t meal prep the avocado, because it browns easily. They are quick and easy to cut, so wait until just before serving. 

    More salad recipes:

    Here’s how you can make your own:

    three bowls of cobb salad with crispy chicken nuggets on a green surface next to avocado slices and striped linens

    Crunchy Chicken Cobb Salad

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Topped with lots of veggies, ultra-crispy chicken and a succulent honey mustard dressing, this Chicken Cobb Salad is going to transform mealtime. This recipe is great for a healthy lunch or dinner, or you can make all the parts in advance for easy meal prep.  
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 315 kcal
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    Chicken Nuggets

    • 1 ½ lb. chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 1 egg beaten
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
    • 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
    • Avocado oil spray

    Salad

    • 12 oz. romaine lettuce chopped
    • 7 slices bacon fried and chopped
    • 2 green onions chopped
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved (7 oz.)
    • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar (2 oz.)
    • 4 hard boiled eggs sliced
    • 1 avocado sliced
    • Honey Mustard Dressing

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    Make and bake the chicken nuggets

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
    • Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl.
    • Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and sweet paprika. Toss until coated.
    • Break the egg into a bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the panko breadcrumbs into another bowl.
    • Dip the seasoned chicken into the egg wash mixture, then transfer to the panko, moving around until coated in the breadcrumbs.
    • Place on a prepared sheet pan, and repeat until all the chicken nuggets are coated.
    • Spritz the chicken nuggets with the avocado oil spray. This will help them crisp up.
    • Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
    • Remove from oven, and let cool slightly.

    Make the Salad

    • Fry the bacon until cooked to your level of liking in a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, pat dry and let cool, then crumble and set aside.
    • Hard boil the eggs. Once cooked and slightly cooled, remove the shells, slice and set aside.
    • Chop the romaine into bite-sized pieces, and transfer to a serving bowl.
    • Chop the green onions, and sprinkle on top of the romaine.
    • Wash the cherry tomatoes, cut them in half and place on top of the salad.
    • Sprinkle the hard boiled eggs, bacon and chicken nuggets on top of the salad.
    • Slice an avocado and top the salad with this.
    • Pour on the dressing (I used about ½ cup of dressing for this size salad), and toss until everything is coated. You could also let each person drizzle on their salad dressing once they have a bowl.
    • Enjoy immediately.

    Video

    Notes

    Store the nuggets separately from the salad, if possible. Reheat in the oven or the air fryer to crisp them up again.
    Store everything in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. The salad will become soggy if you have tossed it in the salad dressing.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 servingCalories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 27gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 177mgSodium: 452mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2g
    Keyword baking recipe, best salad recipe, cobb, cobb salad, cobb salad recipe, crunchy chicken, crunchy chicken salad, dinner, easy salad recipe, entree, homemade cobb salad, honey mustard recipe, lunch salad recipe, salad
    Course Entrees
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    33 Comments

    1. This sounds so good and it is such a pretty salad! I recreated a salad recently (with hot bacon mustard dressing) that turned out great. I need more salads in my life though. And more ways to eat chicken (I really don’t like it all that much) Thanks for another great recipe.

      1. Thanks so much, Kathy! Like you, I need more salads in my life, and there’s nothing like a homemade one, huh? The salad you recreated sounds divine, too!

    2. This looks SO good and like something I could manage to make 🙂 I think it’d be perfect for my quest to find new and yummy things to bring from home to work for lunches! Pinning this so I can make it later 🙂

      1. This is definitely something you could make and bring to work for lunch, girl! You’ve totally got this… and let me know what you think if and when you do whip it up!

    3. Pinned it. Sounds and looks great. I do love to recreate dishes from places I love. Cheaper than going out but you still get to indulge a little
      SGBC
      Dawn
      Spatulas On Parade

      1. Thanks, Dawn! Glad I’m not the only one who enjoys recreating dishes from places you love… and I agree with you! It’s cheaper, but you still get to indulge a bit. So good.

    4. Hey, there’s no shame in getting obsessed with ANY food! It happens to everyone. I myself am having a craving for chicken tenders with honey mustard after seeing your beautiful breaded tenderloins. 🙂 Although the combination with crispy salad greens and rich avocado is also clearly delicious!

      1. I like the way you think, Eileen, because it’s so true. We all do become obsessed with one food or another at some point, huh?

        I love that you were having a craving for chicken tenders and honey mustard after seeing these photographs. That’s one of my fave quick meals.

    5. Restaurant dishes are my favorite source of inspiration. My best effort to date has probably been a steak marinated in garlic and lime, grilled, and served with lightly salted slices of avocado. This salad looks delicious, and can I just say how much I love your wooden bowl? Reminds me of a set my parents had when I was very little.

      1. Totally agreed. And I’m gonna need that recipe for the steak because it sounds DIVINE.

        We got the wooden bowl as a wedding present, and we don’t use it nearly as much as we should, so I was happy that it got some usage… and some photo time. 😉 It makes me happy that the bowl reminds me of the one your parents had when you were a kid.

    6. Wowsa this looks delicious! Perfect for a good kind of indulgence. Glad you translated it from the fast food variety.

      1. Thanks, lady! It IS delicious, and I agree — glad I translated it from the fast food variety because this fresh version’s gotta be a lot better, right?

      1. High-fives for salad kicks, Chelsea! They’re delicious, and I’d love to know what you’ve been making. Also, please let me know what you think of this when you do try it out!

    7. I actually have some panko in the cupboard right now that I wanted to use… this is a fantastic idea for our hot summer weather at the moment. Yum! Love the look of that creamy dressing drizzled over it. Mustard and honey with chicken is such a killer combo xx

      1. Well, I think you should definitely make this salad to combat that hot summer weather. While I haven’t had it during the summertime (as it’s still the winter here – boo), I can attest to it being filling and wonderful during the colder months, too.

    8. Oh this looks so delicious. I’m a sucker for a good salad. I would live off of salads 24/7 if I could. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I will most definitely being trying. Gorgeous pictures as well!

      1. Thanks, lady! I’m the same way about a good salad, and if I find a good one, I don’t let it go and will binge on it. 😉 Can’t wait to hear what you think!

    9. What a fabulous idea! I love everything here, and you made it so much tastier than I’d ever think to! And the creamy Honey Mustard salad dressing is positively mouth-watering. Gorgeous!

    4.67 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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