Southwest Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with Honey Mustard Ranch Dressing
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
6 servings
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Course
Main Course, Salad
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Cuisine
American
Southwest Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad with Honey Mustard Ranch Dressing
Description
This salad starts with chicken breasts rubbed in a mix of smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, dried basil, black pepper, cayenne, salt, and olive oil, which are then grilled until cooked through and sliced. The salad base features chopped romaine lettuce, corn, halved cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, crumbled cooked bacon, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
The accompanying dressing melds mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), buttermilk, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. It can be made ahead and refrigerated. The dressing balances creaminess with a sweet and tangy southwest flavor, enhancing the fresh salad components.
This salad can be served as a complete meal, offering protein, fresh vegetables, and a rich dressing. The spiced chicken gives it a smoky warmth ideal for summer grilling or anytime you want a hearty, composed salad.
Using thin-cut chicken breasts allows quicker cooking and tender texture. The eggs can be prepared with a reliable hard-boil method. The salad dressing keeps well, making it convenient to prepare in advance.
Ingredients
Grilled Chicken:
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin ground
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon basil dried or Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 chicken breast thin cut (see note
Honey Mustard Ranch:
- ½ cup mayonnaise light or regular
- 1 cup sour cream light or regular (can sub plain Greek yogurt)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon oregano dried
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Pinch salt plus more to taste
- Pinch black pepper plus more to taste
Salad:
- 1-2 cups corn thawed and patted dry, if frozen, fresh or frozen
- 2-3 romaine lettuce chopped, heads
- 1-2 cups cherry tomato halved
- 1-2 avocado chopped or sliced
- 6-10 lices Bacon cooked and crumbled
- 4-6 egg chopped (see note, hard-boiled
Instructions
- For the chicken, preheat an outdoor grill to medium or medium-high. (Alternately, you could cook the chicken in a skillet on the stove or broil in the oven.)
- Combine the smoked paprika, salt, cumin, garlic powder, basil (or Italian seasoning), black pepper, cayenne pepper, and olive oil to form a paste.
- Rub the mixture evenly over the chicken and grill for 4-6 minutes per side until cooked through (alternately, you can let the chicken marinade for up to 8 hours). Tent with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes or so. Cut into slices or bite-size pieces.
- For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender or bowl and process/whisk until well-combined, adding more buttermilk to thin the consistency, if desired. Add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use (the dressing can be made several days in advance).
- To toast the corn (optional - you can skip this step), heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the corn and sauté until golden and toasty. Remove to a plate to cool slightly.
- For the salad, place the lettuce on a platter or in a large bowl. Arrange the corn, tomatoes, avocados, bacon, eggs, and cooked chicken on top of the lettuce in sections.
- Drizzle the dressing across the salad and toss everything together to serve OR toss the salad and serve the dressing alongside (do this if you anticipate leftovers so the salad doesn't get soggy with the dressing).
Notes
- Use thin-cut chicken breasts or split regular breasts in half lengthwise for even, quick grilling.
- Hard-boil eggs using a reliable method for consistent results.
- The dressing can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Chicken can be grilled immediately after seasoning or marinated for several hours to deepen flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Serving | |
| Calories | 614kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 46g | 92% |
| Fat | 37g | 57% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 316mg | 105% |
| Sodium | 928mg | 39% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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