Copycat Chick fil A Cobb Salad

Chick Fil A Cobb Salad has everything you crave in one delicious bowl! Crisp lettuce and bacon pieces, juicy chicken and veggies, plus savory cheese and hard-boiled eggs, all tossed in the most addicting dressing. Make enough to feed the whole family with this easy recipe!

Chick Fil A Cobb Salad

I can’t be the only one who doesn’t want to cook a full meal when it’s hot outside… or eat one, to be honest!

That’s where hearty yet refreshing salads come in. You get your choice of toppings and dressings so every bite satisfies all the flavors you’re craving.

So, what makes Chick-Fil-A Cobb salad so special? That creamy, tangy avocado lime ranch dressing, of course!!

I like the flavor so much better than a traditional vinaigrette for Cobb salad, and it’s a much more affordable way to sneak in avocados.

And with chicken, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, and veggies, it’s fully loaded for the most satisfying meal that won’t weigh you down!

Also check out my Chick Fil A Market Salad Copycat Recipe!

ingredients for chick fil a cobb salad recipe

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Salad Greens – Cobb salad is often made with romaine lettuce, but you can use a salad blend to sneak in some carrots and cabbage.

Baby greens, spring mix, or even an iceberg blend will also do the job!
Chicken Nuggets – Grab your favorite bag of frozen crispy nuggets or make grilled nuggets from scratch if you prefer!

I like to cook mine in the air fryer so I can save the oven for the bacon.
Bacon – Speaking of… once you bake bacon, you’ll never want to cook it another way again! Less mess, less stress, and you can cook a whole package at once.
Corn Kernels – You’ll get a much better flavor if these are roasted, but canned is just fine in a pinch.

In fact, sometimes you can find fire-roasted canned corn! Be sure to drain well first.
Hard-Boiled Eggs – Cook these on the stovetop or in the air fryer while you prep the other ingredients for your Chick Fil A Cobb salad.

I often make a big batch at the start of the week so they’re ready to go in my fridge.
Cheese – I’m using a blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses — shredded by hand, of course!

Colby Jack is like a combo of both if you’d rather just buy one block of cheese.
Grape Tomatoes – Slice these in half in seconds using my kitchen hack! Cherry tomatoes are the best substitute, but diced fresh tomatoes will work in a pinch.

I recommend scooping out seeds so your salad doesn’t get too soggy.
Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing – Did you know that Chick Fil A sells a bunch of their sauces in stores?

It’s true… and that includes this dressing so you can make your homemade Cobb salad like Chick Fil A.

If it’s not available near you, try a homemade recipe or swap in a different dressing like buttermilk ranch or red wine vinaigrette.

How to Make Cobb Salad Like Chick Fil A

Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready first.

You can easily cook the nuggets, bacon, and eggs at the same time using a few different appliances, then shred and chop the cheese and veggies while you wait.

If you’re making the dressing from scratch, start with that so it can chill in the fridge. Overnight is even better.

But when it comes to assembling Cobb salad like Chick Fil A, everything should be ready to go.

Layer everything in just the right order.

This isn’t the time to toss it all in a bowl and mix it together! Hearty salads need to be layered just right so you get a little bit of everything in each bite.

Start with the greens, then scatter the chicken pieces over the top. Next up are the smaller bits: bacon crumbles, corn kernels, and shredded cheese.

Finished with the halved tomatoes and sliced hard-boiled egg before drizzling with dressing.

It makes for a pretty presentation, and the eggs won’t get smushed under everything else.

Toss just before digging in.

Dig in under the toppings and lift up, doing so just a few times.

This allows everything to mix together just right, instead of the toppings falling straight to the bottom of the bowl.

I also like to reserve a little bit of dressing to drizzle after everything has been mixed together for the freshest bite!

tomatoes, corn kernels, cheese and bacon sprinkled over mixed greens

Prep Ahead

To be honest, most of this Chick Fil A Cobb salad recipe is prep ahead! Once everything is ready, assembly takes about a minute.

Mix dressing (if using homemade)
Rinse salad greens
Cook chicken nuggets
Roast corn
Shred cheese
Cook and crumble bacon
Prepare and slice hard boiled eggs
Halve tomatoes

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
Cheese Grater – Fresh cheese makes this recipe even better! Skip the bagged shreds and buy a block to grate yourself.
Large Salad Bowl – Layer everything in a pretty bowl for the table, or set out smaller bowls and let everyone build their own Chick Fil A Cobb salad!
Salad Tongs – These bamboo hands help to toss everything gently and are attractive enough for serving as well.

chick filet nuggets added to cobb salad recipe

Serving Suggestions

Chick Fil A Cobb salad is hearty enough for a meal, but you can serve up smaller bowls with other restaurant favorites like mac and cheese or a crispy chicken sandwich!

I love to add a glass of frozen basil lemonade in the summertime, or a spiked version to wind down at the end of a long day.

Storage Leftover Chick-Fil-A Cobb Salad

Any salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can still save leftovers for up to 2 days in the fridge.

It’s best to store the dressing separately so your Chick-Fil-A Cobb salad doesn’t get soggy.

You can also prepare all of the ingredients and store those separately in the fridge, then assemble each salad as you get hungry — perfect for meal prep!

Chick Fil A Cobb Salad Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between a Cobb salad and a chef salad?

A chef salad can be made with a wide variety of ingredients — basically whatever is prepped and on hand for the chef to choose from! Think salad veggies like cucumber, tomato, and carrot, plus diced ham or bacon and some shredded cheese.

Cobb salad is a specific creation featuring tomatoes, bacon, chicken, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. It also usually contains avocado and blue cheese, but the Cobb salad at Chick Fil A swaps these for a creamy avocado dressing and shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack.

Is Chick Fil A discontinuing the Cobb salad?

As of now, no. In fact, it’s one of their most popular menu items aside from their waffle fries!

If they do, in fact, stop serving it — as is the case with so many of my other restaurant favorites — you’ll always be able to make your own with this easy recipe.

What else can I add to copycat Chick-Fil-A Cobb salad?

There’s already a great combination of flavors, so any of your salad favorites will fit right in! The only thing to consider is how it will taste with the dressing.

Include extra veggies such as cucumber, bell pepper, or sliced avocado. Blue cheese is a popular Cobb salad ingredient, and you can easily substitute that for the shreds.

Add black beans or nuts to homemade Chick Fil A Cobb salad for extra protein, and feel free to swap the nuggets with any type of cooked chicken — leftover chicken breasts or even a rotisserie bird would be tasty!

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.

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closeup of chick fil a cobb salad recipe

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Originally published May 2024

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Copycat Chick fil A Cobb Salad