Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad
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Have we got one hearty summer salad for you! Succulent, charred chicken, crisp baby greens, juicy tomatoes, smoky bacon, jammy eggs, and creamy avocado combine for a mix of textures and flavors in this delicious grilled chicken cobb salad! Finish it with a drizzle of a luscious, warm, smoky bacon vinaigrette for the ultimate satisfying summer meal or side dish!
This grilled chicken Cobb salad is what I make when I want something that feels light but still totally satisfying. It’s packed with all those irresistible textures and flavors — juicy, crispy, crunchy, and just a little salty — that make every bite interesting.
It’s a natural fit for summer meals and casual entertaining, and it’s one of those dishes my family always gets excited about. Fresh, filling, and endlessly crave-worthy.
What makes this grilled chicken cobb salad so special
Two things make this Cobb salad stand out. First of all, the grilled chicken! Making cobb salad with grilled chicken that’s been sizzled on the BBQ imparts a delicious smoky char into the whole dish! It’s the epitome of what summer grilling is about: easy to make, delicious to eat, with a mouthwatering smoky char!
The other special element is the warm bacon vinaigrette! The rich smokiness of the rendered bacon fat layers, the tang of the vinegar, and the subtle heat of the adobo sauce. Dijon mustard and lime juice bring some brightness and zing, and the olive oil makes it luscious. It takes your grilled chicken cobb salad to the next level!
Ingredients notes
With such a variety of ingredients, this grilled chicken cobb salad is packed with flavor, complexity, and texture contrast! Round up these simple, familiar ingredients:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work great.
- Warm bacon vinaigrette: Rendered bacon fat, sherry vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, dijon mustard, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
- Other ingredients: Paprika, chili powder, sea salt, eggs, bacon, baby greens, tomatoes, and avocado.
Making chicken cobb salad without the grill
Whether you don’t have a grill or if you’re craving this in the colder months, you can still enjoy this chicken cobb salad year-round! One option is to use a grill pan on the stovetop – it mimics an outdoor grill, but you can cook from the comfort of your stovetop when it’s cold outside. No grill, no problem!
While we love the irresistible smoky flavor the BBQ imparts when you grill it, if you want to save time or use what’s in the fridge, you can use leftover chicken or even grab a rotisserie chicken! Just shred it into bite-sized pieces and add it.
Grilled chicken cobb salad dressing
We love this warm bacon vinaigrette as it infuses the salad with an irresistible smokiness! If you want to mix it up or if you have a craving for another dressing, this grilled chicken cobb salad will meld with other flavors, too. Here are some of our other faves:
What to serve with grilled chicken cobb salad
While it works as a standalone meal, you can also serve it up as a side dish to other mains, or add some sides with this as your main dish salad! While the grill is hot, make some spicy buffalo grilled corn on the cobb or grilled mini peppers! Or, enjoy it beside some sweet potato wedges or cajun potatoes.
Recipe FAQs
How do I store leftover grilled chicken cobb salad?
For the best taste experience, enjoy your grilled chicken cobb salad fresh! Once dressed, the greens lose some of their crispness when stored.
If you can store the components separately before assembling, pop them in airtight containers for up to five days. Alternatively, pre-dressed salads will keep well for a few days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to enjoy, feel free to pick out the chicken to reheat it or enjoy it cold straight from the refrigerator.
Can I add anything else to the salad?
Of course! Feel free to customize your grilled chicken cobb salad with additional toppings such as crumbled feta or blue cheese, red onion, romaine lettuce, grated carrot, sliced cucumbers, or roasted nuts or seeds for extra flavor and texture.
Do you have any other dinner salads?
We sure do! Try our steak salad next!
Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 10 ounces baby greens
- 3 tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 avocado (sliced)
Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (can sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- juice from 1 lime
- ¼ cup rendered bacon fat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with the paprika, chili powder, and sea salt. Grill for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Slice into strips.3 chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Fill a pot half full with water and bring it to a boil then reduce the temperature so the water simmers. Add the eggs and let them cook for 7 minutes (no more!) then remove them and put them in a bowl of ice water. When they’re cool, peel and cut them in half.3 large eggs
- While the water is heating up, cook the bacon until crispy then remove it from the pan and break it into big chunks. Remove ¼ cup of the rendered bacon fat from the pan.4 slices thick-cut bacon
- In a medium bowl, whisk in the sherry vinegar, adobo sauce, dijon, and lime juice. Slowly pour in the rendered bacon oil and olive oil while whisking briskly. Season with salt and pepper.2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon dijon mustard, juice from 1 lime, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper, ¼ cup rendered bacon fat
- Place the greens, tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, and grilled chicken on a platter or in a salad bowl and pour the bacon vinaigrette over the top.10 ounces baby greens, 3 tomatoes, 1 avocado
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
We think so too!!
Such an amazing dish! I have to say that the baby greens are so good for every types of salad! I did try the bacon vinaigrette the very first time and luckily it turned great xD Yummy~
– Natalie Ellis
I’m so happy to hear you like the recipe!!
I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!