Made with juicy, balsamic chicken thighs, fresh greens, hard boiled eggs, creamy avocado, tomatoes, red onions, crispy bacon, blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette, this filling Balsamic Chicken Cobb Salad is anything but boring!
I remember the first time I heard about Cobb salads. Ten-year-old me was standing in line with my mom at the grocery store. This was before smartphones, so the magazines that lined the check out counter were my favorite pastime. I always reached for the tabloids, anxious to see what A-list celebrities were up to.
As I flipped through the latest issue of People magazine, I read a story about actress Jennifer Aniston’s go-to meal: Cobb salad. I had never tried the classic garden salad, and but it sounded quite similar to the hearty salads I was used to eating at home.
My mom’s salads always left you full until dinner! Loaded with spring mix, blackened kielbasa, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheddar cheese, they were delicious.
As an adult, my salads are similar to the ones I enjoyed growing up. I love salads with tons of flavor and toppings, so this Cobb salad recipe is right up my alley. The balsamic chicken thighs and vinaigrette pack so much flavor into the salad, while the other components add crunch and creamy texture. What’s not to love?
how to make balsamic chicken Cobb salad
This tasty salad comes together in less than an hour!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Leafy Greens – Classic Cobb Salad includes romaine lettuce, but feel free to use the greens of your choice.
- Chicken – I love using roasted chicken thighs because they are super juicy and easy to make. Chicken breasts will also work well here.
- Hard boiled eggs – Achieving the perfect boiled egg is not always easy, but this method makes it simple.
- Bacon – Crispy oven roasted bacon adds a delicious smoky flavor to this cobb salad.
- Veggie toppings – Diced avocado, tomato, and red onion add a lot of texture and nutritional value to the dish.
- Cheese – Traditionally, Cobb salad is topped with blue cheese. Feel free to use other soft cheeses like feta or goat cheese.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – Store-bought balsamic vinaigrette is great for a quick lunch, but whipping up your own takes less than five minutes and tastes so good!
Feel free to make this recipe your own! You can really play with the ingredients to make the Balsamic Chicken Cobb Salad suit your tastes and dietary needs.
For more delicious and healthy recipes, check out this 5-Minute Nectarine Breakfast Yogurt Bowl and Creamy Watermelon Homemade Frozen Yogurt.
PrintHearty Balsamic Chicken Cobb Salad
Made with juicy, balsamic marinated chicken thighs, fresh greens, hard boiled eggs, creamy avocado, tomatoes, red onions, crispy bacon, blue cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette, this filling Balsamic Chicken Cobb Salad is anything but boring!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Cobb Salad
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 7 cups of romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- 4 hardboiled eggs, halved
- 6 slices of cooked turkey bacon, diced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Cobb Salad
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl, season the chicken with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, smoked paprika, basil, garlic salt, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- On a foil-lined sheet tray, roast the chicken for 20-25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Add the greens to a large bowl. Top with chicken, eggs, bacon, avocado, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below).
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- In a ziploc bag, add balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, mustard, basil, garlic salt, kosher salt, and black pepper. Shake for 15 seconds or until combined.
Keywords: healthy recipes, chicken recipes, salad recipes, lunch recipes
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