Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad with Herb Ranch Dressing
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Summer is the season for salads, and this Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad with Herb Ranch Dressing is my new favorite. It’s my take on Chick-fil-A’s classic Cobb salad, which is a fantastic protein-packed meal.
You have all the usual ingredients you find in a Cobb salad: chicken, roasted corn, shredded cheese, crispy bacon, tomatoes, and hard boiled eggs. I use cheddar cheese. However, if you enjoy the bite of crumbled blue cheese, you can easily swap it for that. Even some feta cheese would be tasty.
For the chicken, you can use any crispy chicken bites you like from your store’s freezer section. I prefer the Bare brand, Costco’s Kirkland brand, or Sam’s Club Member’s Mark brand. It is most like the chicken from Chick-fil-A. You could certainly use the crispy chicken strips if you have them on hand.
The homemade ranch recipe uses dry spices you probably keep in your pantry. It includes dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, and pepper. The base is made from mayonnaise, sour cream, and a bit of buttermilk or milk to thin the dressing.
The dressing also contains garlic, fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard. These ingredients just up the flavor of the dressing. It’s fabulous and will be your new favorite! An amazing dressing is essential for a delicious salad.
Ingredients to Make Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad with Herb Dressing
- FROZEN CRISPY CHICKEN BITES
- ROMAINE LETTUCE
- BABY SPINACH
- SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE
- BACON
- HARD-BOILED EGGS
- GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES
- MAYONNAISE
- SOUR CREAM
- DILL
- PARSLEY
- DRIED CHIVES
- ONION POWDER
- BLACK PEPPER
- DIJON MUSTARD
- GARLIC
- LEMON JUICE
- RED WINE VINEGAR
Instructions for Crispy Cobb Chicken Salad with Homemade Herb Ranch
To get started, begin by creating the salad dressing in a bowl or blender bottle, thoroughly mixing all the ingredients together. If the consistency needs adjusting, add a little extra milk until it reaches your desired texture. Once ready, place the dressing in the refrigerator to chill while you move on to preparing the rest of the salad.
After that, proceed by baking the breaded chicken bites in an oven or air fryer, following the package directions carefully. Once baked, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. If you prefer, you can substitute with store-bought roast chicken for convenience.
In the meantime, take the corn and roast it in a skillet with butter over medium to high heat. Cook the corn until it begins to brown, which should take approximately 6-7 minutes.
While the corn is roasting, you can start on the bacon. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it becomes crispy. Afterward, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess grease. Once it has cooled, crumble or chop the bacon into smaller pieces.
Finally, assemble the salad by dividing lettuce and spinach evenly across four plates. On top of the greens, add a portion of the chicken, roasted corn, shredded cheese, bacon, hard-boiled egg, and cherry tomatoes to each plate. To finish, serve the salad with the chilled dressing either drizzled on top or on the side. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge. Later, assemble the salad just before serving to keep it fresh and crisp.
Is there any other way to make the roasted corn for the salad?
Yes, toss corn kernels with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then, roast in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the corn is slightly charred.
Is there another way to cook the bacon?
Cooking bacon in the oven is easy. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the foil. Bake for about 15-20 minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and place the strips on paper towels to drain any excess grease.
How do I cook perfect hard-boiled eggs for the salad?
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let sit, covered, for 10-12 minutes. Last, transfer to an ice bath before peeling.
Can I use store-bought dressing?
Absolutely! Any high-quality ranch dressing will work well. Also, you can purchase Chick-fil-A’s dressings from Walmart now. This includes the favorite Avocado Lime Ranch.
How do I store leftovers?
Store any leftover salad components in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Keep the dressing separate to prevent the greens from getting soggy. This should stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Is it possible to use a different type of lettuce?
Yes, you can use any lettuce or mixed greens you prefer. Feel free to use iceberg, butter lettuce, or a spring mix.
Can I serve the salad with protein that is different from chicken?
Yes, grilled shrimp, steak, or even roasted turkey are great alternatives to chicken.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:
Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad with Herb Ranch
Real Mom Kitchen
Equipment
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tsp dried dill
- 1 Tbsp parsley
- 1 ½ tsp dried chives
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp miced garlic
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 or more Tbsp milk or buttermilk
Salad
- 20 or so crispy breaded chicken bites
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 cup frech or frozen corn
- 4 strips bacon
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 6 cups baby spinach
- ¾ cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 4 large boiled eggs sliced
- 8 oz grape tomatoes
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk all of the dressing ingredients together or mix in a blender bottle. Add more milk if need to reach the desired consistency of the dressing. Place in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the salad.
- Cook the crispy breaded chicken bites according to package directions. I prefer the oven or air fryer method. Cut into bite sized pieces.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the roasted corn. Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the butter and corn, cook and stir for 6-7 minutes, or until corn starts to brown. Set aside.
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool. Once cooled, crumble or chop the bacon.
- To assemble salad, divide the lettuce and spinach between 4 plates. Top each with 1/4 of the chicken, roasted corn, shredded cheese, bacon crumbles, sliced boiled egg, and tomatoes.
- Either serve prepared dressing on the side, or drizzle it over each salad. Serves 4.
Nutrition
Recipe is adapted from Creations by Kara.
