You have to try this Buffalo Chicken Ranch Cobb Salad for your next quick and easy lunch. It's made with crisp, fresh Romaine as a base and topped with juicy buffalo chicken, chopped bacon, avocado, homemade croutons, and MORE. This one is truly addicting!
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 there's also some healthy fat from the avocado. But the best part? You get lots of protein - from the lean chicken, to the turkey bacon, the hardboiled eggs, plus the homemade high-protein ranch!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $2.23
- Total Cost (4 servings): $8.91
- Those Other Guys: $16.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts - I usually use a Rotisserie chicken for ease. However, you can also grill or air-fry some seasoned chicken and then cut it into cubes.
- Turkey Bacon - Most Cobb salads have some sort of bacon; I went a little healthier and used 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 - Romaine is hearty and has a great crunch. 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 Meal Prep a Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad
Salads are one of the best things to prep in advance for a quick and easy lunch that is so much healthier than fast food. Keep reading to see two different ways to meal prep salads for a full 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 hearty veggies that can hold up to sitting in salad dressing (like cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.).
- Follow up with your protein, any cheese or eggs, then the salad greens at the very top.
- Seal each jar and store in the fridge for up to four days!
When you're ready to eat, simply dump the entire jar onto a plate, do a little mixing, and chow down. It's a great way to organize your meal prep.
The 2nd Way:
- Chop and prepare each ingredient of your salad.
- Store them in separate airtight storage containers, then assemble your salad whenever you're ready to eat.
This method works great when you don't happen to have tons of mason jars around - and it still keeps your ingredients crisp and fresh when it's time to eat!
Recipe Pro Tip
- Season your salad. A lot of the reason behind why restaurant salads taste so good? Seasonings. Even sprinkling a simple salt and pepper blend onto your Romaine, tomatoes, or avocado can make a huge difference!
Recipe FAQs
Nope - you can grill, bake, fry, or air fry your chicken. As long as it's seasoned/cooked and tossed in your favorite buffalo sauce, it'll still be delicious.
I don't recommend using straight hot sauce. Hot sauce is thin and vinegar-forward, with a lot of spice. Buffalo sauce includes butter and is creamier and a little less spicy.
Use your favorite brand of buffalo sauce!
I have tons of salad recipes on coinedcuisine.com - just click the search icon on the top of the page and type in "salad"; or head to my Soup/Salad category page.
Other Veggie-Forward Lunches You'll Crave!
If you tried this Buffalo Chicken Ranch Cobb Salad Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Buffalo Chicken Ranch Cobb Salad
Equipment
- Chef's Knife
- Pot for boiling eggs
Ingredients
- 4 count eggs
- 8 ounces shredded chicken
- 5 tablespoons buffalo sauce
- 4 slices turkey bacon (cooked)
- chopped Romaine lettuce
- 2 count avocados cubed
- 2 count tomatoes chopped
- parmesan cheese shredded
- croutons
- high-protein ranch dressing
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Ingredient Prep
- Boil your eggs for about 8 minutes, until hardboiled (or less time for soft-boiled if you prefer.) Peel and set aside.4 count eggs
- Toss the cooked, shredded chicken in the buffalo sauce. Set aside.8 ounces shredded chicken, 5 tablespoons buffalo sauce
- Crumble the cooked bacon and set aside. Using a knife, chop the Romaine, avocados, and tomatoes.4 slices turkey bacon, chopped Romaine lettuce, 2 count avocados, 2 count tomatoes
- Assemble your salad. Start with a Romaine base, and top with the chopped vegetables, bacon, egg, and buffalo chicken. Finish with the shredded cheese, croutons, and ranch dressing.parmesan cheese, croutons, high-protein ranch dressing
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.salt, black pepper
- Toss well and serve immediately. Enjoy!
- 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!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!