Drool Worthy Chicken Cobb Salad

Sometimes the simple things really are the best, and this perfectly portioned, Instagram-able cobb salad is no exception. Made with fresh, ingredients like lean Trifecta chicken breast, crunchy veggies, crisp and salty bacon, and creamy blue cheese, all tossed in a zesty, tangy vinaigrette. Did we mention there's little to no cooking involved? Plus you can swap in and out various ingredients to make it hit your macros perfectly. 

How to Make this Recipe

For this recipe, you're going to need the following:

• Trifecta chicken, diced
• Mixed baby greens
• Romaine lettuce, rough chopped, washed
• Purple cabbage, shredded
• Trifecta hard boiled egg, small diced
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sliced cucumber
• Shredded carrots, raw
• Bacon, baked crunchy, crumbled (can use turkey bacon)
• Optional: Trifecta quinoa
• Sherry-Dijon vinaigrette (see recipe below)
• Kosher salt, to taste

Prepping Your Homemade Salad Dressing

Start by prepping out your dressing. This recipe makes roughly 15 (1 tablespoon) servings, and lasts up to two weeks in the fridge, so you can use it all week long to create multiple healthy salads.  

You will need:

• 1 shallot, minced
• 7 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 to 2 dashes black pepper, fresh ground
• Kosher salt, to taste

Mince shallot. Then mix all ingredients in a small blender or bowl, except olive oil. Slowly add olive oil to mix to incorporate while whisking or blending. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt level as needed. Save in an air tight container in the fridge and use as needed. 

Homemade salad dressings are so easy to make and an easy way to cut back on processed ingredients, like added sodium and sugar. 

How to Cook Bacon, Three Ways

Next, prep the only ingredient that you need to cook - bacon! You can cook bacon on the stove top in a skillet, in the microwave, or in the oven. You can also do this ahead of time and keep pre-made bacon on hand for any recipe! 

• To cook in a skillet, juts add bacon strips to the pan and heat over medium-high until it begins to brown. Then flip to the other side and continue to cook until crispy but not burnt. 
• To cook in the microwave,
• For oven prep, place bacon on a cooling rack and then place the rack on top of baking sheet (this will allow the fat to drip down). Then place the baking sheet in a preheated oven (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 20 minutes, or until crispy.  

Once you bacon is ready, place the strips on a plate line with a paper towel to drain any excess fat.

I prefer to cook bacon in the oven because it is the fastest way to cook multiple pieces at once, all pieces get cooked evenly, and the bacon is always the perfect amount of crispiness. 

Putting it All Together

Before platting, wash, chop and get all of your ingredients ready to go.

1. Prep you chicken and eggs by dicing each into small even squares, keeping them separated.
2. Slice the cucumber in into bite-sized half moons.
3. Shred carrots on a coarse side of a cheese grater.
4. Wash and prepare mixed baby greens, romaine, and shredded cabbage, and toss together in a bowl.

Now break out your salad dressing and start building your masterpiece. First, add 1/2 tablespoon of the dressing to the mixed greens and toss to coat evenly. Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt and then late the mixed greens in the bottom of a wide plate, covering the entire surface of the plate.

If taking this salad to go, keep the dressing on the side until ready to eat. This will keep your green from getting soggy. 

Then top your greens with the remaining ingredients, except the quinoa and blue cheese. Use each ingredient to form sections of the salad, alternating between colors and textures to give it a beautiful finished look. 

If including quinoa for a small carb boost, serve it on a corner of the dish, tucked in on a small mountain like form.

Then finish everything off with blue cheese spread throughout the salad to provide an even punch of flavor. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and enjoy!

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Serve this With

This salad is perfect for weekly meal prep because it is served cold - making it a perfect meal for on the go! Here are some great substitutions to try:

• Make it dairy free, by skipping the cheese and adding healthy fats from avocado instead.
• Swap in turkey bacon.
• Try sliced radish instead of carrot for an added spicy kick.
• Instead of quinoa, keep it paleo by skipping the cheese and added roasted sweet potatoes to for a little extra carbs.
• Use artificial sweetener in the dressing to make the whole thing keto friendly.