Try this easy, protein-packed salad for weekday meals. It’s loaded with fresh tomatoes, avocado, crispy bacon, eggs, lettuce, chicken, and crumbled cheese. Drizzle with a quick, tangy homemade dressing. Ready in about 20 minutes and always a family favorite — you’ll be craving this weekly.
Cobb Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
I wasn’t much of a salad-for-dinner person until I discovered the Cobb: all those lush toppings — bacon, lettuce, onion, eggs, chicken, and cheese. It’s a complete meal that feels indulgent but is surprisingly simple to put together.
Hi, I’m Georgia. Eating is my favorite pastime and I admit I’m a little obsessed with toppings. To keep this Cobb salad quick, use leftover cooked chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken for convenience. Pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs (often available in the grocery deli or dairy case) are another great time-saver. Crisp bacon ahead of time and buy pre-crumbled cheese if you like.
With those shortcuts, you can assemble this salad in about 15 minutes. Feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer — creamy feta, bleu, gorgonzola, or even cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Swiss all work well. The balsamic vinaigrette ties everything together with bright acidity and a touch of sweetness.
Let’s assemble something delicious and get cooking.
Ingredients for Cobb Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
• cooked chicken (leftover or rotisserie)
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• crumbled cheese (bleu, feta, or gorgonzola are great)
• avocado, sliced
• hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• red onion, thinly sliced
• romaine lettuce, chopped
• fresh chives, chopped
• crispy bacon, chopped
For the balsamic vinaigrette:
• balsamic vinegar
• extra virgin olive oil
• minced garlic
• Dijon mustard
• sugar or honey (small amount)
• coarse salt and black pepper
Full ingredient quantities and the step-by-step method are below.
More easy salad recipes:
• Summer Strawberry-Peach Salad with Goat Cheese
• Grilled Chili-Lime Chicken Fajita Salad
• Easy Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad
• Honey Mustard Chicken Salad
• Spicy Thai Steak Salad
• 10-Minute Asian Cucumber Salad
Cobb Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, rinsed and patted dry
- 2 cooked chicken breasts, rotisserie works well
- 4 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled cheese, blue cheese, feta, or gorgonzola
- 2 Tbsp. chopped chives
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. sugar or honey
- 1/4 tsp. coarse salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange bacon slices on a lined baking sheet and bake 15–20 minutes until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then chop.
-
If you don’t have ready hard-boiled eggs, place eggs in a pot of boiling water and cook 8–10 minutes for hard-boiled. Cool, peel and chop.
-
On a large platter or in a bowl, spread chopped romaine. Arrange the chicken, eggs, avocado, tomatoes, onion, crumbled cheese, and bacon in rows or sections over the lettuce. Sprinkle with chopped chives.
-
Whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sugar or honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and adjust seasoning.
-
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving, or serve it on the side. Enjoy.
Did you make this recipe?
If you try this recipe, please leave feedback and a rating. I’d love to see your version—tag @comfortcookingblog on Instagram.
I hope you enjoy this fresh, easy Cobb Salad. It’s a great way to get kids excited about veggies and makes a satisfying family meal with lots of flavor.
Please leave a comment and star rating if you try it — I’d love to hear how your family liked it.
Want new recipes delivered by email? Subscribe to the recipe list to receive updates straight to your inbox.