Description
A vibrant and hearty BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad featuring tender oven-baked barbecue chicken, a tangy homemade dressing, sautéed sweet corn mix, crispy bacon, creamy avocado, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh mixed greens, all topped with crunchy roasted almonds for a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
BBQ Chicken
- 1 lb. chicken breasts (cut into 4-ounce portions)
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 lime (juice)
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- ½ tsp. salt (to taste)
Salad Dressing
- ½ cup oil (avocado or olive oil)
- 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. mustard (yellow or Dijon)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Salt (to taste)
Sweet Corn Mix
- 1 Tbsp. oil (or butter)
- 1 bell pepper (red, finely diced)
- ½ sweet onion (finely diced)
- 1 jalapeno pepper (finely diced)
- 15 oz. can sweet kernel corn (rinsed and drained)
- ¾ tsp. salt (to taste)
- ¼ tsp. black pepper (to taste)
Salad Assembly
- 16 oz. mixed greens (spinach, or romaine)
- 4 large eggs (hard-boiled)
- 4 oz. bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- 1 avocado (pitted, peeled and diced)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
- 4 oz. almonds (roasted and salted, crushed)
- Chives (finely chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the BBQ Chicken Sauce: In a large bowl, mix together barbecue sauce, honey, lime juice, minced garlic, and salt. Reserve ¼ cup of this mixture for basting later.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add chicken breasts to the bowl and toss until fully coated with the sauce. Optionally, marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight for enhanced flavor.
- Preheat and Bake the Chicken: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the marinated chicken in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake for 24-26 minutes, basting with the reserved sauce during the last 5 minutes. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and no pink remains. Cut into bite-sized pieces once cooked.
- Make the Salad Dressing: In a mason jar, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and salt. Shake vigorously until well mixed.
- Cook the Sweet Corn Mix: Heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and softened. Add rinsed corn, increase heat to medium-high, and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until corn is slightly charred. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Hard-Boil the Eggs: For stovetop method, place eggs in a pot, cover with water by one inch, bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 10-12 minutes. For air fryer, cook eggs at 270°F (132°C) for 15-16 minutes. Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath for 5-10 minutes before peeling.
- Cook the Bacon: Choose your method: Skillet – cook bacon over medium-high heat 3-4 minutes per side until crispy; Air Fryer – cook at 350°F for 9-11 minutes; Oven – bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes on a lined sheet pan with or without a wire rack. Drain on paper towels and crumble once cooled.
- Assemble the Salad: On a large platter or serving bowl, layer mixed greens as the base. Arrange chicken pieces, sweet corn mix, cherry tomatoes, avocado, hard-boiled eggs (quartered or sliced), and crumbled bacon in rows over the greens. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with crushed roasted almonds and optional chopped chives. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Marinating the chicken overnight intensifies the BBQ flavor but is optional.
- Use avocado oil for a healthier fat option in dressings and sautéing.
- Adjust jalapeño quantity based on your heat preference.
- Hard-boiling eggs in the air fryer is a convenient alternative to stovetop.
- Bacon can be cooked using your preferred method: skillet, air fryer, or oven.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure your barbecue sauce and mustard are certified gluten-free.
- Store any leftover dressing separately to prevent salad from becoming soggy.
