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Grilled chicken cobb salad in white bowl with lettuce, tomatoes, eggs, bacon and blue cheese.

Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 thin-cut boneless skinless chicken breasts, (or 3 thick chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to form thinner cutlets)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ teaspoon salt, I use coarse, kosher salt
  • Pinch of black pepper, I use coarsely ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 3 medium hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 4-6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (see note)
  • 1 cup chopped cherry or regular tomatoes
  • 1-2 avocados, chopped
  • ½ cup crumbled blue cheese, can sub Parmesan cheese

Dressing:

  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil or neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed, avocado, canola, vegetable
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise, light or regular (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions 

  • Place the chicken in a shallow dish or gallon-size resealable bag. Whisk together the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken, coat well. Cover the dish or seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
  • Preheat a grill to medium or medium-high and grill the chicken (discard remaining marinade) for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees.
  • Remove the chicken from the grill and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes before serving.
  • In a large bowl add the chopped lettuce. Top with bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, avocados and blue cheese.
  • For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until combined (or whisk together in a small bowl).
  • Drizzle the salad with about 2/3 of the dressing and toss lightly. Add more dressing to taste, if desired.
  • Serve the grilled chicken topped with the salad (or serve it alongside). You can also chop up the chicken and toss with the other salad ingredients.

Notes

Mayo Substitute: for those of you that might desire a mayo substitute, I haven't tried one with this salad - the mayo acts as a binder and thickener - but you could try buttermilk or yogurt, maybe? I'm guessing red wine vinegar or even other vinegar flavors could be subbed for the white wine vinegar.
Eggs: this is my favorite method for hard boiling eggs.