Protein-Packed Cobb Salad Recipe

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Protein-dense foods are all the rage nowadays, whether it be a protein-rich Costco find or Starbucks' newest cold foam. Protein is a crucial macronutrient, of course, and though it is possible to eat too much protein, it's difficult to get anywhere close. Because of this, protein powders have become a staple in many diets, offering an easy way to boost protein totals simply by sprinkling, stirring, and blending. While the high-protein options that exist because of powders are convenient, it's hard to beat the protein already found in foods we eat everyday. In fact, with a few clever tricks, you can pack nearly half a day's protein into just one salad.

This protein-packed Cobb salad recipe written by developer and nutritionist coach Michelle McGlinn is a hearty source of the macronutrient thanks to chicken, bacon, eggs, Greek yogurt, chickpeas, flax seeds, and chia seeds. Altogether, this salad recipe boasts over 200 grams of protein, which divides into over 50 grams of protein per serving. A fitness lover's dream, this salad is filled with nutrients to fuel any workout — or even just a long day.

The vegetables you will need to make this cobb salad include lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocados, and fresh dill, parsley, and chives. From there, you'll need chicken breasts, bacon, and a few eggs for boiling, as well as Greek yogurt, buttermilk, and a can of chickpeas. You'll need a few pantry staples to boost the flavors of this salad, such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, and a crumbly cheese of your choosing (we love funky gorgonzola). Finally, grab some chia seeds and flax seeds, which can often be purchased more affordably by the pound at bulk filling stations.

In a bowl, vigorously whisk the Greek yogurt, dill, chives, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and buttermilk to form the ranch dressing. Set aside.

In the meantime, add eggs to a saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch.

Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and cover for 12 minutes.

Drain the eggs and run under cold water, then peel and set aside.

In the meantime, make the bacon bits. Add diced bacon to a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Cook until browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes, stirring often.

Remove the bacon with a slotted spatula and drain on a paper-towel lined plate.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the hot skillet with the bacon grease.

Cook, turning halfway, until internal temperature reaches 165 F, about 10-12 minutes.

When chicken is finished, slice the chicken and eggs and then set aside.

To make the seeded avocado, first peel the avocado halves.

Spread the chia seeds and flax seeds onto a surface and roll the avocado through the seeds to coat.

Slice the avocado. Repeat the process with the remaining avocado.

To assemble the salad, first line the bowl with lettuce. Top with halved tomatoes, gorgonzola, bacon bits, diced chicken, sliced egg, chickpeas, and sliced seeded avocado.

Serve the Cobb salad right away with the ranch dressing.

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On their own, avocados are a great source of healthy monounsaturated fats and help with vitamin absorption, fiber intake, and even heart health. That's why it pays to add more avocados to your salads — but you shouldn't rely on avocados alone for nutrition. Many types of seeds are nutritional powerhouses, not only offering a few extra grams of protein, but also being high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. The only problem is that seeds, like chia seeds or flax seeds, aren't exactly delicious all on their own — but pair them with rich, tasty avocados, and they become a lot easier to eat.

Avocados are very creamy, especially when perfectly ripe, which make them natural adhesives to small ingredients like seeds. Rolling the peeled avocados in seeds barely changes the texture of the avocado, essentially giving it a crunchy crust around the creamy interior. With the seeds added, the avocados are boosted with protein, omega-3's, and fiber, making them even more valuable to add to protein-packed salads.

Cobb salad is not traditionally served tossed, but rather, with all of the ingredients positioned side-by-side on top of the lettuce. A beautiful presentation, this shows off the many ingredients of a Cobb in a unique and uniform way. The only problem with the Cobb's serving method is that it can cause the salad to be unbalanced, with all of one ingredient in one place. That is why, after presenting the Cobb, you should toss the salad together.

One way to do this is to first toss the lettuce with ranch before adding the remaining toppings. Use half the ranch to coat the lettuce, then proceed with adding ingredients and drizzle the remaining ranch on top. Alternatively, you can transfer the entire salad to a large bowl and toss all of the ingredients together with the ranch all at once. To avoid a mess, we recommend leaving the egg and avocado until the salad is tossed, then simply add them to each plate individually.

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