We all know classic Cobb salad with tender chicken, crispy bacon, cheese, and hard-boiled eggs. I took that traditional recipe and amped it up by also adding a variety of Southwestern inspired ingredients including tomatoes, corn, black beans, avocado, and corn tortilla strips over a bed of Romaine lettuce. I top this easy Southwestern chicken Cobb salad with a mixture of barbecue sauce and buttermilk Ranch dressing so that every crispy, crunchy bite is full of tons of flavor galore!
Ingredients in Cobb Salad with Chicken and Bacon
To make this easy Cobb salad with common fridge and pantry ingredients, you’ll need to have on hand the following:
Bacon Corn tortillas for homemade baked tortilla strips (or store bought tortilla chips) Romaine lettuce Cherry tomatoes (or your favorite tomato such as Roma or heirloom) Hard boiled eggs Cooked chicken breasts (rotisserie chicken, poached chicken, baked chicken, or leftover grilled chicken work great) Colby-Jack or Pepper Jack cheese Yellow corn Black beans Avocado Chives or green onions BBQ Sauce Ranch Dressing Salt Black pepper
Note: All ingredients amounts are listed in the recipe card section when you keep scrolling down.
How to Make Southwestern Chicken Cobb Salad
Making this Cobb salad inspired with Southwest ingredients is a piece of cake. Follow these straightforward instructions:
Recipe Variations
If you want to mix things up a bit and try some other flavor variations and ideas, I’ve got a couple fun twists with a great taste! -use leftover chicken you already have in the fridge or buy a rotisserie chicken -try fully cooked bacon that all you need to do is zap it in the microwave for 1 minute -buy a few hard-boiled eggs rather than boiling your own -crush a handful of yellow corn tortillas chips rather than baking your own tortilla strips or tortilla chips from corn tortillas -store bought Ranch is the way to go rather than homemade
Sprinkle a teaspoon of cumin, paprika, garlic powder, or another favorite spice over the diced chicken Red onions, bell peppers, or radishes will add more crunch and some bite Cheddar cheese or queso fresco are easy swaps for Colby Jack or Pepper Jack To drive home a Mexican-inspired flavor profile, fresh cilantro, and lime juice from fresh limes is the way to go Want a spicier salad? Use a spicier barbecue sauce rather than regular. And add a bit of chili powder, chipotle powder, or a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to whatever Ranch option you use. This will amp up the overall spicy level!
Make-Ahead Instructions
Once assembled – but not dressed – you can cover the salad very well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 36 hours before serving. This is handy if you want to serve it for an event like a summer backyard barbecue, Father’s Day, graduation parties, or any type of entertaining. I think though that if you do want to make it ahead of time, it’s the most handy to have all the individual components ready and stored individually in your fridge in airtight containers and when the time is right, assembly is just a 5 minute job!
Storage Instructions
After the salad is dressed, you will want to consume it right away. As we all know, salads get soggy after the sit. However, if you don’t dress all of it, and only the portion you plan to consume, extra Cobb salad with bacon and chicken will keep airtight in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
More Easy Chicken Salad Recipes:
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