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Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

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Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

January called and it said to eat all the salads you can handle because dark chocolate is coming again in February!! Haha!

For real, I’m not posting a salad in January because I am trying to detox from all of the fun treats I had over the holidays. The holidays are supposed to include a little fun or what’s the point, right? This chopped kale cobb salad is actually right up my alley. I eat salads pretty similar to this almost daily. What better way to get in a healthy dose of nutrients than from an easy and tasty chopped salad that’s drool-worthy?

The thing about salads is that you can easily swap things. Don’t like kale, no problem use Romaine. Swapping like this isn’t so easy in a cookie recipe. It takes me days to figure that stuff out. But salads have got your back.

This recipe isn’t complicated at all. It has your basic ingredients. Kale. Chicken. Carrots. Hard-boiled eggs. Avocado. Green Onions. Chickpeas. Radishes.

Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

This salad is simple but has a few “extras” that I love to have tossed in with any salad. Those extras being the hard-boiled eggs, radishes and shredded carrots. I don’t usually add those things in to a midday salad but love them in a hearty dinner salad like this one.

The avo ranch may be cheating but I simply blended store-bought ranch with half of an avocado and it’s amazing. Not everything I put on the table can be from scratch. I have to pick and choose what I’m willing to do so each meal is still doable for a weeknight dinner.

Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

So get the good salad vibes going and try out this super delicious kale cobb salad!

What you are going to need for this salad:

Kale (or Romaine if you’d rather)
Chicken Breasts
Carrots
Eggs
Green Onions
Avocado
Chickpeas
Radishes (optional)
Ranch dressing

Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

Indulge in this flavorful and veggie packed salad that is so delicious too. Start with some chopped kale and add grilled chicken, chickpeas, hard-boiled eggs and top it with avocado ranch.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Salads

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups chopped kale or Romaine
  • 1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1-2 tsp Everything but the Bagel Seasoning
  • 1/2 carrot shredded
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 green onions chopped
  • 1 avocado, divided peeled, pitted
  • 1/2 cup chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 3 radishes sliced
  • 1/3 cup Ranch dressing

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉. Cut chicken breasts in half widthwise to reduce thickness and allow them to cook more evenly. Arrange chicken breasts on rimmed baking sheet. Brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with Everything but the Bagel Seasoning. Cook for 22-25 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains in center. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile, add eggs to a small saucepan with enough water to cover an inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cover and allow eggs to cook for 12 minutes. Rinse with cold water and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Add chopped kale to a large bowl along with the carrots, green onion, and chickpeas and toss together. Just prior to serving add the chicken, hard-boiled eggs, 1/2 of a sliced avocado and garnish with the sliced radishes if using.
  • Add the ranch and remaining half of an avocado to a small food processor and blend until smooth. Add to salad and toss until coated well. Serve and enjoy!

Simple Kale Cobb Salad with Avocado Ranch

 

More Delicious Salads

 

Farmer’s Market Panzanella Salad

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

 

Spring Spinach Salad

Spring Spinach Salad with the Best Raspberry Vinaigrette

 

Everyday Mediterranean Salad

Everyday Mediterranean Salad

Farmer’s Market Panzanella Salad

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All of the best flavors of the end of summer that leave you feeling satisfied and happy! Panzanella is a Tuscan salad consisting of crispy golden brown bread with a combination of vegetables. This one is my favorite!

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

Panza-what-a??!!

You guys, panzanella is the answer to anything you might be asking today. It is like Joey Tribbiani would say “Like summer in a bowl!” The power of vinegar and oil blended together with fresh veggies and good quality toasted bread is so amazing.

This version of panzanella salad is vegetarian but speaking from experience it is also great with some chopped pepperoni in it to make it a main dish salad.

My favorite part of getting this salad together is the bread part. I guess it makes me feel like Julia Childs a bit. I used a loaf of rustic country bread but any artisan style bread will work. I cut it into about 1 inch cubes, heated olive oil in a large skillet and added the bread cubes until golden brown, about 10 minutes. The bread was incredible, and I almost said heck with this recipe I can just have the bread cubes! Ha!

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

I picked up the vegetables from our local farmer’s market, Andrew’s Garden. This place is my favorite. Their produce is incredible and it always makes me realize I have been eating fruits and vegetables from the grocery store with no taste for the last several months. If you are able to pick up the ingredients for this salad from a farmer’s market, then for sure do!! It makes a world of difference to have good quality ingredients.

This particular panzanella salad has cherry tomatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper, cucumbers, red onion, and basil with a simple oil and vinegar dressing. This recipe is like the best fresh vegetable version of ratatouille. I love ratatouille but I have to have the time for it. This panzanella salad can be put together in a lot less time.

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

All together, the salad is 100% life changing. After learning about this recipe and testing it out I didn’t think it was a main course type of salad but it most certainly is because I don’t want to eat anything else but this when I have it.

I do want to say that with the bread in it the salad is best right after making it but I still think it’s delicious the day after it is made. I try to stack all the bread on the top when storing it in the fridge so it doesn’t get too soggy and fall apart which I found doesn’t happen much since the bread is a nice and crusty golden brown to begin with.

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

So go ahead and make your day a lot better by treating yourself to this delicious Farmer’s Market Panzanella Salad.

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

All of the best flavors of the end of summer that leave you feeling satisfied and happy! Panzanella is a Tuscan salad consisting of crispy golden brown bread with a combination of vegetables. This one is my favorite!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Italian
Servings 15

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 1 loaf artisan bread chopped into 1/2-1 inch cubes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 red pepper seeded, ribs removed and cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
  • 1 yellow pepper seeded, ribs removed and cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
  • 1 cucumber cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced
  • 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp basil finely chopped

Oil and Vinegar Dressing

  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Instructions
 

Salad

  • Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and salt to skillet, stirring frequently until golden brown, about 10 minutes
  • Meanwhile, add cherry tomatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper, cucumber, onion, and basil to a large bowl. Stir in bread cubes. Toss everything together with the oil and vinegar dressing. Serve and enjoy!

Oil and Vinegar Dressing

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Notes

Adapted from Ina Garten
For best results, add dressing to salad close to serving time. Keeps in the fridge up to one day. 

 

 

Farmer's Market Panzanella Salad

 

More Great Salad Recipes

 

Everyday Mediterranean Salad

Everyday Mediterranean Salad

 

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

 

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

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Spring greens tossed with red cabbage, cucumbers, strawberries, avocado, feta cheese, pepitas topped with a strawberry lemon vinaigrette. This salad is everything!

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

Salad game on point? Yessss!!

Spring has sprung and it’s all rainy as can be around here lately. Amidst all of the rain we are still all smiles because school is out, splash pads are in full gear, and this salad has me hooked.

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

I love salads. Wait, I love non-boring salads to be exact. Ones that have tons of flavor, texture, and color. Not only do they taste amazing but my husband can’t resist them either. And that is enough to get my arms pumping up and down.

It’s a total game-changer when I can get him to admit the salad is the best part of the meal. This is one of those kind of salads.

Ways to make this salad next level:

  1. Choose greens that have a combination of spinach, radicchio, rocket (arugula), and herbs. The more variety the better in my book.
  2. Toast the pepitas. Not a you-have-to-do-this! kind of thing but it does add some extra flavor.
  3. Slice the cucumbers and then cut them julienne-style. It just guarantees you will get more cucumber flavor in each bite along with the rest of the salad rather than one honkin slice of cucumber. It’s my preference.
  4. Slice the avocado lengthwise and then cut it widthwise to get smaller slices of avocado in your salad. By now it’s gotta be obvious. I love chopped salads because there is so much flavor in each bite.

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

Spring greens tossed with red cabbage, cucumbers, strawberries, avocado, feta cheese, pepitas topped with a strawberry lemon vinaigrette. This salad is everything!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 5

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 8 cups spring greens lightly packed
  • 1 cup red cabbage chopped
  • 8 oz strawberries hulled, sliced
  • 1/2 cucumber sliced, julienned
  • 1/2 avocado sliced lengthwise then widthwise
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles
  • 1/4 cup pepitas

Strawberry Lemon Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice roughly 2 lemons
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tbsp strawberry jam
  • 1 tbsp plain greek yogurt
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

Salad

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange pepitas on baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes until golden brown. Set aside
  • Add greens to a large bowl. Toss in the red cabbage, cucumber, strawberries, and feta cheese. Top with the pepitas and avocado slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add dressing just prior to serving.

Strawberry Lemon Vinaigrette

  • Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar. Attach lid and shake vigorously until ingredients are well mixed. Add dressing just prior to serving.

Notes

I like to add all the salad ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve unless it will be more than an hour. In this case, wait to add avocado closer to serving time along with the dressing. 
If preferred, store-bought dressing works great on this salad too. A creamy garlic dressing or fruity vinaigrette would be good options. 

 

 

Spring Greens Salad with Strawberries

 

More Great Salads

 

Everyday Mediterranean Salad

Everyday Mediterranean Salad

 

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa

Best Broccoli Salad with Quinoa