Easy and hearty Chicken Cobb Salad speaks my language! Loaded with crunchy romaine, chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, fresh avocado, crispy bacon, and blue cheese. Smothered in your favorite dressing. The best, healthy kind of meal.
In the summertime, and other times of the year, I crave a hearty salad for dinner, this no cook, cool, but filling chicken cobb salad fits that requirement!
For other hearty, healthy and no cook or low cook meals, try these reader favorites: Mediterranean Layered Dip, Shawarma Chicken Bowls or this easy Sherried Chicken Salad.
What is a Cobb Salad
The Cobb Salad has been around a long time and like my Classic New England Whoopie pies, has multiple claims on how the Chicken Cobb Salad came about.
Various stories exist recounting how the salad was invented. One says that it came about in 1937 at the Hollywood Brown Derbyrestaurant, where it became a signature dish.
It is named for the restaurant’s owner, Robert Howard Cobb. Stories vary whether the salad was invented by Cobb or by his chef, Paul J. Posti. The legend is that Cobb had not eaten until near midnight, and so he mixed together leftovers he found in the kitchen, along with some bacon cooked by the line cook, and tossed it with their French dressing.
Another version of the creation is that Robert Kreis, executive chef at the restaurant, created the salad in 1929 (the year the Brown Derby’s Hollywood location opened) and named it in honor of Robert Cobb.The same source confirms that 1937 was the reported date of the version noted above, with Cobb making the salad.(Source)
Chicken Cobb Salad is my go-to salad for the middle of winter, a springtime luncheon, or a hot summer evening — no oven required. It’s also one of my favorite things to bring to a new mom — quite different from the many casseroles they received.
I make up separate individual serving plates, using large paper plates, wrap it well. I like to ask mom if she and her hubby like blue cheese and bleu cheese dressing, if not, I serve without and send ranch dressing or a light Italian.
Cobb Salad Ingredients & Substitutions
- Hearts of Romaine | you determine the number of hearts, approximately ¾ per person if using the salad as a meal. Feel free to substitute with red or green leaf lettuce, iceberg or use a combo of these lettuces.
- Black Olives | I love black olives, the more the better, so heart-healthy for you too! But if you don’t use green olives or omit all together.
- Cucumber | chopped small (we love English cucumbers
- Tomatoes | use regular tomatoes, cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped. Sometimes I have replaced with diced red pepper for a crunchy pop of color.
- Avocado | sliced or diced
- Cooked chicken breast | use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, chicken tenders, ham, turkey, whatever you wish. Deli meats work well too!
- Crisp cooked bacon | figure about 1 ½- 2 slices per salad, use regular, thick, pre-cooked bacon or even turkey bacon, or omit all together.
- Hard boiled egg | Personal taste, I do not care for them in my salads, but figure ½ – 1 hard boiled egg, chopped or sliced per salad.
- Blue Cheese | Use regular blue cheese, gorgonzola cheese, or try feta, or even goat cheese. If all are too strong, simply use regular shredded cheese.
- Artichoke Hearts | This is optional, but I love them in my salads, use marinated or brined artichoke hearts, so delicious!
Put some real Blue Cheese crumbles on the side (not everyone loves blue cheese, whaaattt??) and serve tossed with the Blue Cheese, Ranch dressing, or Vinaigrette of your choice.
Substitutions
- Swap out chicken for turkey or ham
- Maybe some artichoke hearts (brined or marinated)
- Add chopped red, yellow or orange sweet peppers
- What about sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs
- Toss in some corn (fresh is best, but canned will work)
- Feeling crazy? Chop or slice some jicama (an undervalued tuberous root vegetable in my opinion)
- Also in the crazy category would be adding beets, shredded or sliced; hubba, hubba!
How to make a Keto Cobb Salad
- Make it Keto by using shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken, free of additives.
- Dress in a Keto dressing or simply with an olive oil and vinegar vinaigrette.
More delicious and fresh salads:
- Delicious Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Best Italian Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes
- The Best Summer Salad Recipes
- Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (All Natural)
- Bacon Balsamic Macaroni Salad
- Blackberry Grilled Chicken Salad with Fried Goat Cheese
- Strawberry Rhubarb Salad
- Tropical Mango Fruit Salad
- Wild Rice Harvest Salad
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Ingredients
- 2-3 hearts Romaine lettuce chopped
- ½ – 1 English Cucumber chopped
- 4 ounces sliced black olives or about ½ can whole olives, sliced
- 1 chicken breast cooked, chopped (or substitute 1-1 ½ cups rotisserie chicken)
- 2 tomatoes chopped (Roma work nicely)
- 4-6 slices bacon cooked crisp, cooled and chopped
- 1 avocado chopped
- Shredded Cheddar cheese to taste
- Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola crumbles optional
- Favorite blue cheese or ranch dressing
Optional add-ins:
- Swap chicken out for chopped turkey or ham
- Add artichoke hearts brined or marinated, chopped
- Add red, yellow or orange sweet peppers chopped
- Add sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs
- Shred or chop jicama
- Add corn fresh is best, canned will work
- Sliced or diced beets
Instructions
- Chop all ingredients into bite size pieces, layer in desired pattern, adding cheddar and blue cheese (optional). Pour on desired dressing, toss and serve.
- If making Gluten Free, make sure meats (chicken, bacon) are also GF along with your dressings.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more hearty salads to try?
Hearty Salads
Antipasto Pasta Salad
An easy Italian antipasto pasta salad recipe is made with cucumbers, red and orange bell peppers, pasta, artichoke hearts, olives, meat, cheese, and homemade Balsamic dressing! The perfect dish to bring to a summer picnic, potluck or barbecue!
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
All the right flavors, bright and colorful, packed into this beautiful pasta salad. Great for a crowd or your family, the leftovers are even better!
Tropical Fruit Salad
A vibrant ultra fresh tropical fruit salad bursting with ripe mangoes & berries, dressing in an all natural light lime dressing that's sublime!
Bacon Balsamic Macaroni Salad
Crisp bacon pieces strewn throughout this delectable, creamy bacon balsamic macaroni salad that is loaded with crunchy celery, bright red grape tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese and topped with a mouthwatering creamy balsamic ranch dressing.
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette {Salad Dressing}
A light and delicious maple dijon vinaigrette, creamy and full of flavor. Dairy free!
The breaded chicken looks delicious in this salad, did you use premade chicken tenders or make your own?
In these pictures I used store bought breaded chicken tenders, making the salad even easier, though I personally prefer shredded chicken!