California Cobb Salad
California Cobb Salad
This California Cobb Salad recipe gives the classic salad a fresh California spin with heirloom tomatoes, fresh corn, cucumber, feta, and the most delicious herby ranch dressing. It’s topped with juicy grilled chicken thighs that just bring all the flavors together.
It’s the perfect hearty summer salad that checks all the flavor and texture boxes!
Table of Contents
Fresh & Delicious California Cobb Salad
As we get closer to summer, I am here for all the light and fresh dinners and lunches. While a salad might not seem dinner-worthy, my version of a California cobb salad absolutely is! The only kind of salad that I’m interested in eating for dinner is the kind with loads of toppings that will keep me full for hours.
My take on a cobb salad is packed with juicy spiced chicken, grilled corn, ripe heirloom tomatoes, crispy romaine, bacon, red onion, avocado, cucumber, jammy eggs, fresh herbs, and feta cheese (sorry, blue cheese!). Then, we finish it off with a drizzle of my homemade herby ranch dressing (1000x better than store bought).
This salad is really a celebration of all that beautiful west coast produce at its peak freshness and flavor. And it’s really as elaborate or as simple as you want to make it! You can swap in or omit certain ingredients and really customize it to your tastes.
It’s truly my ideal salad recipe and is perfect for a light summer dinner, meal prep, or even as a really hearty side dish.
How to Make a California Cobb Salad
While I love the flavor that grilling adds to the chicken and corn, you can easily cook them on the stove in a heavy skillet.
Tools Needed
Recipe Ingredients
full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- spices (smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder)
- mayonnaise
- buttermilk
- dill, chives, basil
- red onion
- eggs
- romaine
- bacon
- heirloom tomatoes
- persian or baby cucumbers
- avocado
- corn
- feta cheese
Step-by-Step Photos & Instructions
- Make the dressing. Whisk together all the ingredients for the herby ranch and season to taste with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours — the dressing gets better as it sits.
- Marinate the chicken. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika with some salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss well to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 48 hours.
- Boil the eggs. Bring a small pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Gently lower the eggs into the water and boil them for 8 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water and let them cool. Once they’re cool, peel and roughly chop them.
- Grill the chicken and corn. Preheat an outdoor grill to 450 F. Grill the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side, until cooked through to 165 F. Alternatively, you can grill the chicken indoors in a skillet or on a grill pan until cooked through. At the same time, grill the corn for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until some of the kernels are charred. Let the chicken rest, then cut it into slices. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off the cob and set them aside.
- Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, layer the chopped romaine with the red onion, tomato, corn kernels, bacon, egg, cucumber, avocado, and diced feta. Top with the grilled chicken and drizzle with the herby ranch, as desired. Top with more chopped basil and dill before serving.
Storage Instructions
If you plan to make this California cobb salad for meal prep, I personally believe that the components are best stored separately! Some of the vegetables can be stored together in airtight containers (tomatoes/onion, corn/cucumbers), the lettuce is best in a paper towel lined ziplock, and I usually store my ranch in a mason jar.
All the components will last in the fridge for 5-6 days and the ranch for 10 days. If you have already dressed salad, it will last overnight in the fridge–after that, the leaves wilt because of the dressing.
I recommend not dressing the whole salad and serving the dressing on the side to keep leftovers fresh longer!
My hearty California Cobb Salad is so fresh and packed with all your favorite flavors and textures. It’s perfect for a light summer dinner or your weekly meal prep! If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Hearty Salad Recipes to Try
Thai Steak Salad
Asian Chicken Chopped Salad
Grilled Chicken Greek Salad
Turkey Taco Salad
Vietnamese Chicken Cabbage Salad
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California Cobb Salad
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Herby Ranch
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, like Crystal
Salad Ingredients
- 1 head romaine, rinsed and chopped
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 eggs
- 8 slicess bacon, cooked and diced
- 1-2 avocados, diced
- 2 ears corn, shucked
- 2 persian cucumbers, sliced
- 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- 4 oz feta cheese, diced small
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Whisk together all the ingredients for the herby ranch and season to taste with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours as the dressing gets better as it sits.
- Marinate the chicken. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss well to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, up to 48 hours.
- Boil the eggs. Bring a small pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Gently lower the eggs into the water and boil them for 8 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl of ice water and let them cool. Once they're cool, peel and roughly chop them.
- Grill the chicken and corn. Preheat an outdoor grill to 400 F. Grill the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side, until cooked through to 165 F. Alternatively, you can grill the chicken indoors in a skillet or on a grill pan until cooked through. At the same time, grill the corn for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until some of the kernels are charred. Let the chicken rest, then cut it into slices. Use a sharp knife to cut the corn kernels off the cob and set them aside.
- Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, layer the chopped romaine with the red onion, tomato, corn kernels, bacon, egg, cucumber, avocado, and diced feta. Top with the grilled chicken and drizzle with the herby ranch, as desired. Top with more chopped basil and dill before serving.
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