Copycat Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad Recipe

Break up with take-out with this easy Copycat Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad Recipe. The homemade version of this fast food salad is easy, delicious, and budget-friendly.

With simple ingredients you can grab at your local grocery store, this easy salad recipe is a perfect weeknight dinner. Be sure to serve it with this homemade Lemonade like Chick-Fil-A Makes!

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If you’re a fan of the traditional Cobb salad, then you may have tried the Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad while out and about. It’s a classic American Salad adapted by the fast food restaurant.

They use fried chicken nuggets, hard-boiled eggs, avocado ranch dressing, charred corn kernels, grape tomatoes, a Monterey jack and cheddar cheese blend, crispy bacon, all atop a fresh bed of greens. It’s not exactly a classic Cobb salad, but it is delicious.

As good as it is, though, the price tag is a bit steep. Depending on where you live, the CFA version of the Cobb Salad can cost between 7 and 11 dollars! You can definitely do better than that — even with a few supermarket shortcuts.

Why Make This

It’s delicious. While the original cobb salad is great on its own, the popular chicken restaurant has simplified it and made the chicken cobb salad recipe a little mainstream, swapping out the blue cheese dressing and fresh avocado for a different type of cheese and putting the creamy avocado in the dressing. While I love the classic recipe, this one is is also one of my faves.

It’s easy to make at home. I love fast food, and I love to cook at home. This Copycat Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad Recipe is really easy to make at home, thanks to frozen chicken nuggets and the brand’s avocado lime ranch dressing sold in grocery stores nationwide. (I’ve also included tips for making this salad completely homemade, too!)

It’s a cheaper alternative to take-out. You can make almost the exact same salad at home for less money. It’s like having the best of all worlds.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Copycat Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad Recipe:

chicken – There are lots of options for adding chicken to this salad. My first choice is the Just Bare Chicken brand frozen chicken nuggets. These have a reputation for tasting just like the Chick-fil-A nuggets. You can find them at Costco, Walmart, and regular grocery stores. You can also use cooked chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, or make your own fried chicken strips. 

mixed baby greens mix – I love this spring mix and keep it on hand regularly for my Meal Prep Salads. You can also use romaine lettuce or another crisp lettuce like butter lettuce.

hard-cooked eggs – You can cook your own or buy them precooked at the store.

chopped cooked bacon – Bacon is easy to cook at home in the oven. You can use standard bacon or turkey bacon if you prefer.

grape tomatoes – Grape tomatoes are standard at the restaurant, but you can use cherry tomatoes or cut juicy tomatoes if that’s what you have.

shredded jack and cheddar mix – This is what’s standard at Chick-fil-A, but you can use whatever cheese you like. Remember you can freeze cheese if you won’t use it all before it goes bad.

avocado ranch dressing – You can buy the CFA brand of the avocado dressing at Walmart and other nationwide grocery stores. But feel free to use your favorite choice of dressing. I love regular ranch dressing on this salad as well as my Creamy Garlic Dressing with Buttermilk & Herbs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to make this easy copycat salad:

Cook the chicken according to package or recipe instructions.

Divide the greens, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, and shredded cheese among four plates or meal prep containers.

Top the salads with the cooked chicken and serve with the salad dressing on the side.

Alternatively, you can make this salad in a large salad bowl. Toss with the dressing and serve immediately.

To  make this as a meal prep: The eggs, bacon, and chicken can be prepared in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Assembled salads should be good for at least 2 days, with the dressing stored separately.

Salad Prep Tips

To enjoy an extraordinary salad, any day, follow these salad prep tips:

1. Get the greens very dry. Extra moisture on your salad will make it soggy. Use a salad spinner to throughly dry the greens or buy them prewashed.

2. Chill the greens and cold salad toppings. This will magnify the crispness and texture of the different Cobb salad ingredients.

3. Allow the chicken to cool slightly before adding it to the salad. Adding very hot chicken to the greens will wilt them. Allow some of the heat to blow off before assembling the salad.

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