It's something about a fresh, healthy salad during the summertime! How about trying this Buffalo Chicken Ranch Cobb Salad for your next easy lunch? We're gonna take your favorite base of greens and top it with juicy buffalo chicken, (turkey) bacon bits, avocado, homemade croutons, and MORE - it's truly addicting!
So not to brag, but my fiancé said this was the BEST salad I've made for lunch thus far. And I'd have to agree! A cobb salad is always a fan favorite, and for a good reason... the combination of veggie toppings & protein makes sure you are full for hours! (And without that super heavy feeling that usually happens after lunch.)
We lighten this recipe up a bit by using turkey bacon, and we also add tons of healthy fat with the avocado. But the best part? You get TONS of protein - from the lean chicken, to the turkey bacon, the hardboiled eggs, plus the homemade high-protein ranch!
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts - For this recipe, I boiled my chicken in seasoned broth and then shredded it. However, you can also grill or air-fry some seasoned chicken and then cut it into cubes. If you're really stuck on time, don't be afraid to use a Rotisserie chicken!
- Turkey Bacon - Most Cobb salads have some sort of bacon; I went a little healthier and used air-fried turkey bacon, but feel free to go for the pork or beef options as well.
- Hardboiled Eggs - It's not a Cobb without hardboiled eggs! Simply cook these to your preference; I'm not a fan of soft-boiled, but many are.
- Veggies - We're going to load this salad up with tons of good veggies/fruits: chopped tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers if you have them... the possibilities are endless.
- Greens Base - You guys know that I love a good Romaine mix. But if that's not your thing, consider fresh spinach, arugula, or your favorite greens!
- High-Protein Ranch - A healthier take on the store-bought kind, coinedcuisine.com has a high-protein ranch recipe! To turn it from a dip to a dressing, simply thin it out with a bit of water until you get to the perfect consistency.
How to Assemble a Cobb Salad for Meal Prep
Salads are one of the best things to meal prep for a quick and easy lunch that is much healthier than fast food. Let me tell you about two different ways that I meal prep salads for a week of good eats!
The 1st way: Salad in a Jar. I may have to do a full post on this later, but this method got me through grad school. Simply layer all of your ingredients in a jar - Start with the dressing at the bottom of the jar, then any heavy veggies that can hold up to sitting in salad dressing (like cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.), followed by your protein, any cheese or eggs, then your salad greens at the very top. Seal and store in the fridge for up to four days!
When I'm ready to eat, I like to just dump the entire jar onto a plate, do a little mixing, and chow down. It's really really simple and a great way to organize your meal prep.
The 2nd way: Take like fifteen minutes to chop and prepare every aspect of your salad. Store them in Tupperware containers, then just assemble your salad each day when you're ready to eat. This method works great when you don't happen to have tons of mason jars around - I'm pretty country so I always have spares lol - and it still makes sure your ingredients are crisp and fresh when it's time to eat!
FAQs
I didn't bother measuring most of what I used for this salad - simply because you're going to make a salad the way YOU want it! If you like more lettuce, or fewer croutons, or more ranch dressing... go for it!
Nope, you can grill, bake, fry, or air fry your chicken. As long as it's fully cooked/seasoned and tossed in the buffalo sauce, it'll still be delicious.
I have tons of salad recipes on coinedcuisine.com - just click the search icon on the top of the page and type in "salad"!
Other Healthy Lunches You'll Love!
Buffalo Chicken Ranch Cobb Salad
Ingredients
- 4 count eggs
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 count large chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning
- 1 cup buffalo sauce
- 4 slices turkey bacon
- chopped Romaine lettuce
- 2 count avocados cubed
- 2 count tomatoes chopped
- parmesan cheese shredded
- croutons homemade or store-bought
- high-protein ranch dressing recipe linked below!
Instructions
- Boil your eggs for about 8 minutes, until hardboiled (or less for soft-boiled if you prefer.) Peel and set aside.
- For the chicken breasts, boil them in chicken broth for about 15-18 minutes until cooked all the way through.
- Shred the cooked chicken with a fork, season with extra Adobo seasoning if needed, and then toss the chicken in the buffalo sauce. Set aside.
- Bake or air fry the bacon according to package instructions, then crumble and set aside.
- Assemble your salad with the Romaine base, avocadoes, tomatoes, chopped bacon, hardboiled egg, buffalo chicken, cheese, croutons, and high-protein ranch. Toss well and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $2.20
- Total Cost (4 servings): $8.81
- Those Other Guys: $15.99 per salad
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!