Description
A hearty, weeknight-friendly Cobb salad featuring crispy bacon, rotisserie chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and sharp cheddar, all tossed in a creamy homemade ranch dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
- 2 medium avocados, diced
- 3 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
- 6–8 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Lemon juice (optional, for avocado)
Instructions
- Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10-12 minutes. Drain and plunge into an ice bath to cool. Peel and chop into quarters or eighths.
- While eggs boil, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon strips in a single layer for 4-5 minutes per side until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain and crumble once cool.
- If using cooked chicken breasts, dice them. If using rotisserie chicken, shred it. Warm the chicken slightly in the microwave or pan before adding to the salad.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, dried herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Adjust consistency with more buttermilk or sour cream if needed.
- Chop the iceberg lettuce, cube the cheddar cheese, and dice the avocados. Toss avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice if not serving immediately.
- Arrange lettuce, chicken, bacon, cheese, avocado, and eggs in rows on a large platter or in individual bowls.
- Drizzle the ranch dressing generously over the salad. Toss gently just before serving to maintain crispness.
Notes
For best results, cook bacon until it snaps when broken. Use an ice bath for eggs to ensure easy peeling and prevent gray yolks. Warm the chicken slightly before adding to the salad for better texture and flavor absorption. Store components separately in the fridge for up to 3 days; do not freeze.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 34
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 28
Keywords: cobb salad, ranch dressing, crispy bacon, weeknight dinner, rotisserie chicken, easy salad, meal prep, high protein